THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: A Rs 500-crore project is on the anvil for cleaning the filth-clogged Killiyar, Karamanayar and Parvathy Puthanar. The project will be based on a study by RITES, Water Resources Minister P J Joseph told the Assembly on Tuesday. Replying to a submission by V Sivankutty MLA, Joseph said an estimate of ` 60 lakh has been prepared for renovating and cleaning the stretch from Karamana bridge to Thiruvallom, which near the highly-frequented Parasurama Temple. ‘’It is expected that the temple ghat would turn cleaner once this work is completed,’’ the Minister said. He said the work also was part of the larger initiative to rid the capital city of waterlogging.
‘’A weir with shutters has been installed this year for preventing polluted water from entering the ghat. Inspections during two seasons have shown that this weir is effective,’’ the Minister said.
Only if the Parvathy Puthanar is freed of clogged garbage can the influx of trash into the Karamana river be stopped. A final solution to this can be effected only when the proposed sewage treatment plant is made operational. The plant is a joint project of the City Corporation and the Kerala Water Authority (KWA) and funded by the Asian Development Bank (ADB).