THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The Kerala Water Authority (KWA) has objected to the demand of ‘Manaveeyam cultural fellowship’ to allot a small area of land owned by it for setting up a Cultural Recreation Centre on Manaveeyam Road, citing security reasons over the adjacent water treatment plant.
In an effort to revamp Manaveeyam Road as the cultural centre of the city, the fellowship members had submitted a proposal to the government. Manaveeyam Road, which is often a venue of cultural performances by various enthusiasts and activists, could be made the centre of attraction for tourists visiting the city, according to the plan put forward by ‘Manaveeyam Koottayma’.
The group also proposed the setting up of a recreational centre with green room facilities and toilet after acquiring the required area of land from KWA. The Water Authority officials, expressing dissent over the proposal, pointed out the security threat to a crucial water filtering plant which is located adjacent to the Manaveeyam Road.
“We had lost land during widening of the Manaveeyam Road and the said recreational facility will be a threat to the security of the water filtering plant located near the road,” said a KWA official.
KWA officials expressed their objection during a meeting of Manaveeyam representatives, Health and Family Welfare Minister V S Sivakumar, Minister for Cultural Affairs K C Joseph, CPM politburo member M A Baby, Chairman of Sangeetha Nataka Akademy chairman Soorya Krishnamoorthy and filmmaker T K Rajeev Kumar conducted in the office of Minister for Water Resources in the Legislative Assembly building.
Meanwhile, the convenor of Manveeyam Koottayma D Raghoothaman said that the group would initiate further discussions with the government after the Onam celebrations.
A KWA official said that tendering for a water pipeline from Observatory Hills to PTP Nagar are in final stages and the release of the land would be impossible as the project requires the particular land.
Managing Director of KWA Ashok Kumar Singh said that security of the water treatment plant would be given first priority.