THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Taking a cue from the controversies related to the check dam and water theme park built by Nilambur MLA P V Anvar, the state government has decided not to further permit check dams in the state.
The high level meeting of the river management fund last week decided not to give permission for building check dams as they pose a threat to rivers. It was decided at the meeting, chaired by Revenue Minister E C h a n - drasekharan and attended by the Revenue Secretary, Land Revenue Commissioner, Irrigation Department chief engineers, CESS director, scientists and other officers, the river management fund should not be used for unscientific construction across the rivers.
Permission for check dams could be given only in the most urgent situations and only after taking up a scientific study, it was decided. A majority of the officers and scientists said the river management fund is for river protection and should not be used for disrupting the free flow of river. It was pointed out check dams usually brought in more silt, sand and also polluted the upper stream. Apart from this, people encroach on ‘purambokke’ land along the check dams.
Another issue discussed was about illegal sand mining. A source said the river management fund is now mainly used for constructing bridges and for giving concrete protection to river banks. But apart from this, the bulk of the fund is misused for constructing buildings and also buying vehicles for the staff. It has been decided the funds should henceforth only be used for the protection of rivers and its banks.
The government decided not to give more funds for concrete protection of the river banks but would instead promote vegetative protection, a source said. With illegal river sand mining going on, it has been decided to speed up the river sand audit and also river bank mapping. The auditing of 19 of the 44 rivers are over and the remaining ones will be taken up on a war footing, said the source. Stating funds are not a hindrance, the source said Rs 140 crore remained unused. The meeting took note of the present unused funds and decided to make use of it in a proper way in the coming days.
The high level meet of the river management fund decided not to give permission for building check dams as they pose a threat to rivers