KOCHI: A day of heavy rain, and the city was flooded. Thanks, to the Kochi Corporation’s lethargic attitude. Nothing seems to have changed from the previous monsoon seasons. The incessant rain on Monday caused waterlogging in all parts of the city, leaving streets and busy roads flooded. The low-lying areas of West Kochi too suffered a similar fate.
Waterlogging at busy areas like Ernakulam Junction railway station premises, KSRTC bus station, MG Road and Palarivattom caused immense trouble for passengers, pedestrians and motorists. As usual, the KSRTC bus station was one of the worst affected, with water entering in the waiting and shopping areas of the complex. Thoppumpady and Koovapadam were among the areas affected in West Kochi.
MLA WRITES TO CM
Hibi Eden MLA has sent a letter to Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan seeking the intervention of the state government in finding a solution to waterlogging in the city.The letter states pre-monsoon cleaning works were not carried out effectively.
"The construction work of Kochi Metro Rail is also a reason,’’ the MLA said in the letter.
The MLA said government intervention was essential as Kochi Corporation alone could not find a solution to the issue.Though the Corporation claims to have completed pre-monsoon cleaning, several arterial canals, such as Thevara-Perandoor canal and Changadam Thodu canal, are yet to be cleaned.
“The Corporation’s lethargic attitude resulted in the waterlogging,” said Poornima Narayan, the Education Standing Committee chairperson. “Though we repeatedly urged the Mayor to speed up pre-monsoon cleaning, our pleading fell on deaf ears. With the Corporation failing to clean the TP canal, colonies like Kammattipadam, Karunthala, Udaya Colony and P & T colony are nearly flooded.”
However, the Corporation passed the buck to the KMRL, Railways and the PWD, saying their carelessness resulted in waterlogging. “Last week, we convened a joint meeting of the agencies for starting pre-monsoon cleaning. But most agencies haven’t taken it seriously, especially the Railways. The Metro work is also a worry. We will start removing the weeds from the canal from Tuesday onwards,” said P M Harris, the Works Committee chairperson.
BUILDING COLLAPSES
A portion of a building on Bazar Road, Fort Kochi, collapsed on Monday morning. No casualty has been reported. The building located near Coonan Cross Chapel is owned by Jai Trading Company.
Reportedly more than 100 years old, the building’s roof collapsed. No shop or establishment was functioning in the building.
DOWNPOUR TO CONTINUE
According to K Mohan Kumar, director, Advanced Centre for Atmospheric Radar Research, Cusat, the central Kerala region, including Ernakulam district, is likely to get good showers for the next two-three days. "Monsoon has not hit north Kerala in full. It is moving northward now. There was heavy rain in south Kerala during the previous days. It will now rain in the central region, before reaching the northern parts,” Mohan Kumar said.