THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The plan to revive Karimadom pond, the filth-filled waterbody lying close to Attakulangara bypass, has faced a setback because of continuing waste dumping. Though the cleaning up of the pond is one of the crucial parts of the city flood mitigation plan for which the state government has sanctioned `8.05 crore, the irrigation department is unable to carry out the work due to this. The recent summer showers flooded all low-lying areas including residential areas and Attakulangara bypass, exposing the urgency of cleaning up the pond -- the ancient water body interlinked with several stormwater drains.
As part of the flood mitigation project, various departments including major irrigation, minor irrigation and inland navigation have launched the pre-monsoon drive in nine major canals in the capital.
According to officials, the pre-monsoon works are fast progressing in all areas, except Karimadom pond.
“Since the launch of the pre-monsoon drive, we have cleared accumulated garbage three times, but there is no respite from waste dumping. We are unable to continue the cleaning drive.
The community waste management unit is located on the banks of the pond and there is a transformer; it has to be relocated. We have raised these issues with the authorities,” said an official of the minor irrigation department, adding that CCTV cameras should be installed to put an end to illegal dumping.
The pond, which covers around 1.8 acres, is posing serious health risks to the local residents.
The clogged pond, which is connected with a number of drains, has also been triggering severe flash floods.
Kerala Pulaya Maha Sabha (KPMS) district president and a resident of Karimadom Colony Chalai Mohanan said, “The area has turned into a mosquito-breeding ground and none of the authorities are interested in resolving the issues of the residents here. I have given a memorandum to Minister Antony Raju but no action has been taken,” said Mohanan.
He said several projects had been planned in the past to revive the pond but nothing materialised.
“Sewage is directly discharged into the pond. There is a drainage outlet flowing to the pond. The demand to relocate it has not been met yet,” he added.
According to civic authorities, garbage is being dumped by illegal waste handlers. “We have noticed the issue and once the Haritha Karma Sena is deployed for waste collection in the ward, all these illegal activities would come to an end. We have stepped up surveillance to catch illegal waste handlers,” said a corporation official. Smart City Thiruvananthapuram Limited is planning to implement `5 crore worth of projects to give a facelift to the pond.