Water enters even after cleaning drains for 1.5 crores, AI cameras will be installed in canals, says mayor

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The Thiruvananthapuram Corporation has prepared a flood prevention action plan to solve the waterlogging in the district. Mayor Arya Rajendran said the action plan includes 100-day action plan and long-term projects to avoid waterlogging. The decision was taken in the meeting chaired by Public Education, Labor Department Minister V Sivankutty and Transport Department Minister Antony Raju at the Thycaud Guest House.

The mayor in a Facebook post had stated that in the months of April and May this year, drains were cleaned in 2340 works in all wards at a cost of Rs 1.5 crores. Due to the heavy rains in Thiruvananthapuram city, the most waterlogged areas were in Eenthivilakam and Balanagar areas of Vettukad ward. Water is being pumped into the tankers using motor and then is flowed in the sea. In this way, water was removed from these areas in 591 trips. Another ward where waterlogging continues to be severe is Kamaleswaram.

Here operations are continuing with the use of sucker tankers. The mayor said the corporation is carrying out various activities to solve the waterlogging in other places.

The corporation has decided to implement long-term projects to prevent waterlogging during the rainy season. The most important of these is to protect the low

lying areas. As part of this, conservation area has been noted in Thiruvananthapuram Master Plan. No construction activities will be allowed in this area to prevent further waterlogging.

There is no system presently to inform the people about the rise of water in the canals flowing through the city. It has been decided to include the water level marking system in the smart city plan of the municipality so that the people can understand the water level rising in the streams including Pattom canal, Ulloor canal and Amayizhanchan canal flowing through the city in the pattern of recording the water level in the dams. Strong action is being taken against those who throw garbage in the canals. Three squads have been appointed presently to check this. It was also decided to find illegal encroachment that obstructs the natural flow of streams. AI cameras have been installed in canals, and the corporation has decided to get an alarm if the waste is thrown from the hand into the canal and to catch the person who dumped the waste and take legal action.

A decision was taken to buy sucking cum jetting pumps and machines after including them in Amrit and Smart City projects. A report of the sewage department of the water authority was asked to prevent the manholes from overflowing during the rainy season. The mayor stated that it has been decided to jointly conduct a survey with the Municipal Corporation and the Water Authority and take the necessary awareness and follow-up measures to change the drainage connection.