If judiciously utilised, the traditional dewatering mechanism used to pump water from the low lying areas into the backwaters called ‘Pettiyum Parayum’ could have been one of the most effective remedy to prevent water clogging in the city. However, it seems to have failed in making space on the Corporation’s agenda. Though, the mechanism was tried and tested in the 1990s, these instruments worth lakhs of rupees are left to rot in various parts of the city.
Pettiyum parayum is of immense help, said Gracy Joseph, Councillor, Kaloor South. “We are the real beneficiaries of this traditional instrument. My area is prone to heavy waterlogging and we would suffer backlashes once this system stops functioning,” she said. The councillor added that the pettiyum parayum which was installed near Hotel Gokulam park would not be operating this year. “The flow of the water is not obstructed as the Perandoor canal which flows through Kaloor was cleaned by KMRL. We also have floated tenders in this regard,” she said. Gracy said that as the machinery in her division could not be used this year, she has asked Kochi Corporation to remove it from the canal.
The instrument needs annual maintenance, said M Anil Kumar, Councillor, Elamakkara. “An installed device is deeply immersed in water and rusts quickly. Proper maintenance is the only option to avoid a huge expense in the future,” he said.
N M Nahas, Engineer, Kochi Corporation, said that the Corporation is planning to use other mechanism to pump out water. “The maintenance cost is too high. However, we will seek expert opinion on it,” he said. In the council meeting held on Thursday, Mayor Tony Chammany said that the maintenance cost of this instrument is too high to handle and he would rethink on the matter.
A councillor also alleged that as the maintenance work of nine pettiyum parayum has become a monopoly of some contractors, it would continue to be neglected. “The Corporation engineers are clueless about the functioning of this instrument. The contractors are quoting crores of rupees to undertake its repair work,” he said.
Pettiyum parayum was first used in the Kuttanad fields, where during high tide, the water from backwaters gushes to the canals resulting in heavy waterlogging in the city. Pettiyum parayum is used to pump the water blocked in the canals back into the lake. The city has nine such instruments - two in Mullassery Canal, one near the KSRTC bus stand, two in Panampilly Nagar, one near Hotel Gokulam Park in Kaloor, two in Vyttila, and one in Chettichira.