THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: About 1,500 people participated in “Puzhayarivu”, an awareness walk conducted on Thursday to conserve Killi River. ‘Puzhayarivu’ consisted of two river-side walks that started from the two ends of the river to meet at a common point.
Water Resources Minister Mathew T Thomas led the walk from Karinjathimoola, the originating point, and Finance Minister Thomas Isaac led the walk from Vazhayila. Both the journeys met at Pazhakutti in the noon.
The walk from Karinjathimoola started at 8 a.m. and the walkers had a tough time until Moozhi where the terrain was rough. Local people offered tea and snacks to the walkers.Puzhayarivu covered about 22 km from Karinjathimoola to Vazhayila. The 10-km stretch between Vazhayila and the river mouth where it joins the Karamana River will be included in the next phase of the conservation programme.
Experts, who were part of the walk, said the water flow was very less between Karinjathimoola and Moozhi. “After Moozhi, there is considerable amount of water but the quality declines towards the downstream,” said A Nizamudeen, Land Use Board Commissioner. Part of the river falling in the Nedumangad Municipal area is highly polluted.
Mass movement
A massive cleaning programme will be conducted on the 22-km stretch between Karinjathimoola and Vazhayila on April 14. Organisers said about 10,000 people will participate in the progamme including local population, MGNREGS workers and members of various voluntary organisations.
The Irrigation Department will be asked to renovate the damaged check-dams. There are a total of five check dams in the stretch. If required, additional ones will be built.Shops and establishments that drain out water to the river will be asked stop the practice. They will have to set up soak pits on their premises. Restoration of the feeding canals will be part of the second phase of the conservation programme. There are a total of 31 feeding canals and many of them require check-dams, desilting and cleaning.
According to Nizamudeen, the walk helped to achieve the first goal - to create awareness among the local population. “The programme cannot make any headway without the support of local residents. We want their active participation,” he said.