Peruvanmadu canal in Feroke municipality restored to past glory

Century-old waterbody was a garbage dump a few years ago

From being a stinking garbage dump a few years ago, the Peruvanmadu canal in Feroke municipality in Kozhikode district is now a clean and free flowing waterbody, complete with sidewalls. Over the last two years, the canal underwent a complete makeover through the combined efforts of the Haritha Keralam Mission and the Feroke municipality besides the Suchitwa Mission, the Irrigation Department, various environmental organisations, schoolchildren and the local people. The Peruvanmadu canal, which borders Divisions 38 and 1 of Feroke municipality, is around 600 metres long, 3.5 metres wide, and 4.5 metres deep. The century-old canal was constructed to support the coir industry, but it became defunct when the industry crumbled and the local people changed vocation. Later, it became a garbage dump and the flow of water stopped when the entrance and exit got blocked with silt from the Chaliyar river. The dirty water accumulated in parts of the canal made it the perfect breeding ground for mosquitoes and other insects, affecting the general health of the residents on the banks.