THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The Venganoor panchayat has launched a project to revive and protect its various water bodies. ‘Thelineer’ is being implemented under the leadership of the grama panchayat with the support of the Haritha Keralam Mission, the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme, department of minor irrigation, various environmental organisations, residents’ associations and others.
The project was launched on World Wetlands Day on February 2. “Venganoor is blessed with different water bodies such as natural ponds, lakes and pools. There are around 18 public ponds alone in the panchayat. However, due to the lack of cleaning activities, these ponds are covered with weeds and water hyacinths which have affected their flow and the organisms in them. Through the project, we aim to restore the water bodies to their past glory. Cleaning activities have already begun with the help of workers under the MGNREGS,” said R S Sreekumar, Venganoor panchayat president.
Apart from ‘Thelineer’, ‘Kadavil’, a people’s collective which includes residents’ associations, fishermen communities, political parties and organisations and clubs working towards the protection of the environment has been formed by the members of the panchayat to revive Vellayani Lake, a freshwater lake — a source of drinking water to thousands in the district.
Tonnes of waste and weeds have already been removed by the volunteers and the lake is being restored to its original state.
Apart from removing the weeds and waste dumped in the lake, the collective also aims at turning Vellayani Lake and its surroundings into a tourist spot with cycle paths, butterfly parks, boating facilities and open gyms.
“Our aim is to conserve the waterbody which includes a wide variety of native species of fishes and hosts many rare varieties of migratory birds,” said Sreekumar.
He said a similar initiative is on the cards after cleaning the other water bodies in the panchayat. “Introducing boating and giving swimming training for kids are also in the pipeline,” said Sreekumar.