Kerala | Aug 03, 2015:
More than 1,100 acres in the river Periyar between Malayattoor and Aluva have been encroached. —File photo
survey of rivers in the district to fix their boundaries and to identify encroachments is yet to be launched for lack of skilled surveyors though the district administration had firmed up plans to launch the work more than a year ago.
The district River Management Authority had, last year, decided to launch the survey work and to establish the boundaries using money from the River Management Fund. The action was planned in the wake of reports of rampant encroachment of rivers, both big and small.
An official of the Department of Irrigation said that a task force had to be constituted to get the work done quickly. He said that even the survey work on Edappally thodu had been held up as some of the local bodies were unable to provide original documents.
The Department had taken up de-silting and cleaning of the canal with a view to increasing the water flow after residents on both sides of the canal had complained of severe pollution of the water body.
Even canals and tributaries of the major rivers like the Periyar, Moovattupuzhayar and Kadambrayar are now victim to encroachment, dumping of waste, said S. Sitararaman of Kerala River Protection Council.
According to his estimate, more than 1,100 acres in the river Periyar have been encroached between Malayattoor and Aluva. He said that rampant sand mining from the river had resulted in the river becoming very deep in the middle.
M.N. Giri of Social Association for Forests and Environment said that more than the Periyar, its tributaries were being subjected to encroachment. Some of the private owners of property were using retaining walls as a cover to protect encroached areas.
Mr. Seetharaman said that the reclaimed river bed was now being used for agricultural purposes on some reaches of the river. The phenomenon was more rampant between Aluva and Perumbavoor, he said.
(Source: http://www.thehindu.com/)