THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The First intense spell of rainfall ahead of the official onset of the southwest monsoon left several parts of the capital flooded on Saturday, raising questions about the effectiveness of the pre-monsoon sanitation drive undertaken by the City Corporation and other government departments.
Busy stretches at East Fort, Thampanoor and other low-lying areas witnessed severe waterlogging within hours of heavy rain, raising concern on the monsoon prepared in the capital - which is highly vulnerable to flooding.
The worst-hit was East Fort, one of the city’s busiest commercial hubs, where inundated roads left commuters stranded for hours. The polluted and clogged Amayizhanchan Canal overflowed, flooding nearby streets and causing inconvenience to traders and commuters.
Blaming the authorities for failing to undertake cleaning activities on time, Federation of Residents’ Associations, Thiruvananthapuram (FRAT) president Jayadevan Nair said the capital has an extensive network of canals and drains capable of carrying away stormwater if properly maintained. “It is disappointing that the authorities have failed to clean and maintain these drains and canals on time. The capital city is vulnerable to flooding, but when it comes to flood mitigation, the authorities do not seem to follow a proper schedule. Cleaning should begin months ahead of the monsoon, not after the rains start. We had officially submitted letters to the authorities anticipating such issues, but nothing happened on the ground,” said Jayadevan Nair.
The flooding has also triggered a political blame game within the corporation, with opposition parties accusing the civic body of failing to implement the pre-monsoon sanitation drive effectively.
LDF parliamentary party leader S P Deepak alleged that major drains and canals across the city remain clogged with waste and silt. He said that the BJP leadership at the corporation has failed miserably in implementing the pre-monsoon drive.
“This year, funds for ward-level sanitation drives were released only after the rains had already begun. An allocation of Rs 1 lakh per ward is insufficient to address these issues,” he said. He said that urgent intervention by the state government and departments such as Irrigation is required to address the issue. “The Mayor and ruling front is more focused on making reels for the social media than doing solid work on the ground,” he said.
UDF councillor Mary Pushpam also questioned the adequacy of funds allocated for pre-monsoon works.”Heavy rain began earlier than expected, but that cannot be an excuse. Preparatory work should have been completed much earlier. The fund allocation is inadequate,” she said.
The BJP-led council in the corporation had launched a pre-monsoon sanitation drive ahead of the rainy season. However, the Irrigation Department did not undertake any pre-monsoon cleaning activities this year, citing a lack of funds.
An Irrigation Department official said the department was unable to carry out the work due to lack of funds.
Mayor V V Rajesh said that all drains and canals under the corporation’s jurisdiction had been cleaned ahead of the monsoon. He blamed the inaction of the Irrigation Department for the flooding witnessed on Saturday.
“Tonnes of waste have accumulated in canals, especially beneath bridges and culverts. We removed as much waste as possible. In many places, the deposits beneath bridges have hardened like cement over the years. Without the cooperation of the Irrigation Department, we cannot find a permanent solution to this issue,” V V Rajesh said.
