KOCHI: The cleaning operations are going on in full swing in the 82 grama panchayats under the Ernakulam district panchayat. The cleaning of houses, public places and various other buildings is being carried out by volunteers in association with the government and the local bodies.
According to Dimple Maggi, nodal officer, DDP office, Recovery Mission Ernakulam, cleaning teams comprising 25 to 150 people led by the panchayat president and secretaries have been formed. "These teams have been deployed depending on the severity of the destruction. Larger teams have been deployed in areas that had weathered the maximum force of the deluge," she said.
To ensure the cleaning operations are going on smoothly, six performance supervisors have been appointed, who will be reporting to the DDP.In Ernakulam district, Cheranelloor, Kadamakudi, Alangad, Chendamanagalam, Chittattukara, Kudangaloor, Kurumallur, Vadakekara, Varapuzha, Chengamanad, Kalady, Kunnukara, Mala, Nileshwaram, Kanjoor, Nedumbassery, Parakadavu, Puthenvelikara, Srimoolanagaram, Kuttampuzha, Koovapadi, Valavanadu, Mudkuzha, Okkal, Vengoor, Choornikara, Keezhmadu, Poothrukka, Valakom, Arakuzha, Avoli, Payipra and Ramamangalam grama panchayats are the worst-affected.
Cleaning operations in Maneed grama panchayat is being carried out with the help of ward members, volunteers and Kudumbashree members. The volunteers of Harith Kerala Mission too have come forward extending their support in cleaning up the houses. The grama panchayat offices in these affected areas too are being cleaned by the volunteers. The process of salvaging the soaked files are also going on at these offices.
In each panchayat, the cleaning operations are being carried out with the help of the ward members, NGOs, Kudumbashree members, MNREG volunteers, NSS and NCC volunteers.At present, only the first stage of cleaning is over in various panchayats. According to DDP officers, the houses, buildings, offices and other establishments will become habitable only after cleaning multiple times. "We need more volunteers to carry out the cleaning operations," said the officers.