KOCHI:The Navy will adopt the Muttinakam hamlet in Varapuzha panchayat and the Cheriya Kadamakudy in Kadamakudy panchayat for their rehabilitation and rebuilding, said Chief of Naval Staff Admiral Sunil Lanba on Wednesday.
“The Navy will provide assistance to reconstruct the health sub-centre and anganwadi in Muttinakkam, attached to the Varapuzha primary health centre, which were damaged in the flood. It will provide new equipment and furniture to the health centre,” said Lanba, who was visiting the damaged houses in the area.
He also promised to rebuild the house of Vevekkatt Babu which was located on the river bank and was completely damaged. The Navy will also reconstruct three flood-hit houses at Cheriya Kadamakudy. Roofs of five houses will be restored and the anganwadi building will be refurbished.
The water supply pipelines in Kadamkudy panchayat were completely damaged in the flood and the residents are depending on the water supplied by tanker lorries engaged by the Kerala Water Authority. Considering the need for safe potable water in the panchayat, the Navy will install a 10-tonne reverse osmosis plant there.
Lanba said he will hand over a cheque of Rs 8.9 crore to Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan towards the Chief Minister's Distress Relief Fund on Thursday as the Navy's token of support to the people of Kerala. The Navy staff have contributed one day's salary for the purpose. Lanba said the Navy won't be taking up the construction of a bridge connecting Pizhala island with Kadamakudy as it is cost intensive. Lanba's wife Reena Lanba, who heads the Navy Wives' Welfare Association, gave away relief kits to a few families at a function at Muttinakam. The association also handed over Rs 25 lakh worth relief material to District Collector K Mohammed Y Safirulla. The Navy handed over 400 kits to individual families. MLAs V D Satheesan and S Sarma, Varapuzha panchayat president K S Mohammed, vice-president Kochurani Joseph were present at the function.