More encroachments along Konothupuzha river come to light

Government survey reveals cases in Mulanthuruthy, Chottanikkara panchayats

A Government survey has revealed further encroachments of the Konothupuzha in the river stretch coming under the jurisdiction of Mulanthuruthy and Chottanikkara grama panchayats.

The Hindu had reported on Wednesday that the Revenue Department had found nearly 21 cases of encroachment of the riverbanks along the stretch coming under the Thripunithura municipality. The 17-km-long Konothupuzha lies between the Champakkara canal and the Vembanad lake and runs through Thripunitura municipality, and Chottanikkara, Mulanthuruthy, Udayamperoor and Amballoor grama panchayats.

The Survey Department has found three encroachments of the riverbanks in Mulanthuruthy while one case was reported on the stretch coming under the jurisdiction of Chottanikkara panchayat. The secretaries of both the local bodies have mentioned the details of the encroachments in their updated status report submitted before the Southern Bench of the National Green Tribunal (NGT). The court had asked the Government to take immediate measures to save the river from pollution and encroachment.