Redemption appears to be in sight for the garbage and silt-clogged Amayizhanjan Canal that passes through the capital city. The Cabinet has cleared a ₹25 crore project designed by the Water Resources Department aimed at cleaning and renovating the canal system.
Work on the desilting and reconstruction of the canal stretch from Kannammoola to Akkulam will kick off shortly, according to the department.
A decision has been taken to purchase a silt pusher, which will be used for clearing silt accumulated in the Amayizhanjan Canal as well as other canal networks. Earlier attempts to use a floating excavator to remove the silt and garbage from the Amayizhanjan Canal had turned out to be impractical, according to an assessment carried out by the Government Engineering College, Barton Hill, the consultants of the project.
Side walls
This had prompted the department to consider purchasing a silt pusher. The project cost includes the operational and maintenance expenses for the machine for a two-year period. Desilting the canal aside, the project will earmark money for constructing side walls and protecting this drainage network.
All major canals in the Thiruvananthapuram Corporation area drain into the Amayizhanjan Canal, which has, in recent years, deteriorated into a polluted water body. Originating from the Observatory Hills where the water treatment plant of the Kerala Water Authority (KWA) is situated, the Amayizhanjan Canal meanders through the city for a distance of 12 km before draining into the Akkulam Lake.
Many of the high mesh fences installed on the canal banks to prevent the dumping of wastes are in a damaged condition at present, according to the department.
