The District Disaster Management Authority (DDMA) task force headed by Vinay Goyal, Thiruvalla Subcollector, has intensified the sand and debris clearance from the river course of the Pampa on the fourth day on Sunday.
Dr. Goyal said 17 earth movers had been deployed for removing the sand, clay and boulders as well as the debris left by the floods of August, 2018. The work started on Thursday to avert chances of floods similar to that of 2018 at Pampa and surrounding areas during the ensuing monsoon.
According to Dr. Goyal, 4,007 cubic metres (1,092 truckloads) of sand had been removed till Sunday afternoon. He said the work was progressing fast and more trucks and earth movers would be pressed into service, if needed.
The intermittent rainfall disrupted the work often and the task force was trying its best to complete the work before the monsoon strengthened, he said.
The Irrigation Department had quantified the quantum of sand deposit at 75,000 cubic metre, while a Revenue Department survey had put it at 1.29 lakh cubic metre.
Dr. Goyal said officials attached to the departments of Forest, Irrigation and Revenue were camping at Pampa with a mission to complete the task as early as possible. The sand and other debris collected from the river course have been dumped in the open forest area near the KSRTC depot at Chakkupalam.
