KOCHI: The Covid-19 pandemic and the lockdown have come as a huge blow to the state’s plan of finishing the work of a majority of multipurpose cyclone shelters coming up across the state to house people during natural calamities. With the state bracing for yet another monsoon and cyclone season amid the pandemic threat, the shelters would have been of great help. However, now according to officials, only one or two of the 16 multipurpose cyclone shelters will be ready for use.
After the recurrent floods, the `90-crore project to set up around the multipurpose cyclone shelters in nine districts as part of the National Cyclone Risk Mitigation Project was progressing on a war footing. The shelters are to accommodate around 1,000 people each and are being set up in the 10km radius of the coastline. According to officials, only one of the 16 projects in Alappuzha is in the completion stage.
“We planned to complete at least eight shelters before the upcoming monsoon. The construction work was halted following the lockdown but now permissions have been granted to resume work.
We are back on track but the monsoon is almost here and work will be interrupted,” said Shekar Lukose Kuriakose, member secretary of Kerala State Disaster Management Authority (KSDMA) – the agency implementing the project. The project aims at facilitating the state to face disasters more scientifically. “A majority of the multipurpose shelters being constructed are attached to educational institutions and the facility will be used for other purposes round the year. Similarly, in many districts, the local authorities and the school management are planning to use this space for other purposes like an open gymnasium, gender space for students, indoor stadium and so on,” said Shekar.
The three-storeyed shelter would have separate facilities for women, children and the differently-abled. The District Collectors and the shelter management committees chaired by the local body representatives will be directly managing and controlling these shelters. “We have constituted four types of response teams comprising local volunteers training in emergency response to deal with disasters and natural calamities. Training is provided on shelter management, rescue operation and first aid by the Fire Department and National Disaster Response Force,” he said.
However, the multipurpose shelters planned in Thiruvananthapuram and Kozhikode are yet to take off. The district administration in Thiruvananthapuram has already handed over a 1.5-acre land at Muttathara to the KSDMA for setting up the shelter. “We have roped in PWD for the design of the cyclone shelters and they will be submitting the same by this month-end. We will tender the work once the design is ready,” he said. The KSDMA is planning to set up one more shelter at Alappuzha. “We are in search of a feasible land for the purpose. We have identified some already and site visits will be completed before finalising the location,” said Shekar. The deadline for completion of the Centre-funded project is in 2022.
“We have enough time for completing the project. All the shelters will be ready by 2021,” he added.
No of multi-purpose cyclone shelters planned: 16
Places
Kollam 1 (Thazhava) Alappuzha 2 (Cheruthana, Mararikkulam)
Ernakulam 2 (Pallippuram, Thuruthipuram)Thrissur 2 (Kadappuram, Azhikode)
Malappuram 2 (Vettam, Palapetti) Kannur 2 (Kathirur, Cheladu)
Kasaragod 3 (Kudlu, Pulloor, Madhoor)
T’puram 1 (Muttathara) Kozhikode 1 (Kasaba)