KOCHI: Though the cleaning drive initiated by the district administration and the Kochi Corporation along with the Thevara- Perandoor Canal came as a sigh of relief for Kochites, the dumping of septic waste into the canal is causing hardship to the families who are living adjacent to it. In the latest incident, a large quantity of human waste found behind the Thottathumpady church near Kaloor forcing people to leave their homes.
According to local residents, several companies who have opened the septic waste outlet directly into the Thevara - Perandoor Canal causing misery to the people. “We are facing a lot of difficulties owing to the foul smell from the canal. We cannot cook and eat due to the stench. Since most of the families kitchens are adjacent to the canal, many of them have stopped cooking due to the unpleasant smell,” said Nadheera Fidhar, a housewife living adjacent to the canal at SRM Road.
As per the rough estimate prepared by the Corporation earlier, over 5,000 septic tank outlets open into the TP Canal. “ However, the Corporation is taking no action against the culprits. Though we have complained about the issue to the authorities they have turned a blind eye towards our plea. How can we live here? How can we run a hotel adjacent to the canal?” said Aravindan, a local resident.
A recent survey conducted by SCMS also found the E coli bacteria presence in water was high due to the dumping of septic waste. Unfortunately, the complaint from the public is coming at a time when the clean-up drive is nearing completion. The district administration and the Corporation started the cleaning drive after the Kerala High Court directed the District Collector the other day to initiate steps to remove the weeds and plastic waste from the canal on a war footing to prevent flooding.
“Really, it is a serious issue. The Corporation will definitely take action against the people who open the septic outlet into the TP Canal. We are also planning to approach the police,” said a Corporation officer when asked about the dumping. Mayor Soumini Jain was unavailable to comment on the issue.