THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The Killi River City Mission to clean and protect the Killiyar and Thettiyar, the two major water bodies in this city which have been polluted for years, is moving at a fast pace. As a part of the second phase of revival, a mass cleaning is being carried out in the Killiyar by the city corporation.
The second phase of Killiyar cleaning was inaugurated by Mayor K Sreekumar. It was initiated as part of the Haritha Keralam Mission as the state government aims at the revival and protection of the Killi river.
The project is also an initiative of the Nedumangad block panchayat, the municipality and the grama panchayats of Aruvikkara, Panavoor, Anadu and Karakulam.
Health Standing Committee chairman I P Binu, Vanchiyoor P Babu, Pushpalatha, Town Planning Standing Committee chairperson Palayam Rajan, C Sudarshanan and councillors Vijayalakshmi, R C Beena, health officer A Sasikumar, health workers, sanitation workers and members of the Killi River City Mission also participated in the clean-up drive.
The second phase included machine-assisted cleaning programmes. An amount of Rs 25 lakh has been allotted for this purpose in the annual plan fund of the city corporation. “We request the support of all residents for the revival of the Killiyar undertaken by the corporation,” the mayor said.
The one-day first phase of the cleanup programme which began in February 2019 was attended by more than 5,000 people.
It included cleaning up the river where the sewage pipelines were removed from the source of the river at Karichathimoola near Anad till Vazhayila within the the corporation limits. The second phase is expected to be completed by the end of January 2020 and the third phase will begin by the first week of February which is aimed at the conservation of coastal areas, coastal development and cleaning the waste accumulated in the tributaries.
Various programmes were also organised by the city corporation as part of the Killiyar rejuvenation drive which included awareness campaigns on the river being polluted by continuous waste dumping. Also, a survey conducted by the Killi River City Mission team found the presence of septage in the river, making it unsuitable for drinking purposes.