Unchecked encroachment remains a hurdle to restoring Kochi canals

Edappally, Thevara-Perandoor canals to be restored to original width and condition

Unchecked encroachment remains a bottleneck in the restoration of the Edappally and Thevara-Perandoor canals in the city. The action plan submitted by the joint committee appointed by the National Green Tribunal (NGT) for the rejuvenation of the canals took note of the issue of encroachment. However, the report submitted in the first week of August has not mentioned the timeline for identifying and clearing the encroachment. “Large number of encroachments are seen along both sides of the canal[s], which act not only as sources of faecal contamination but result in decreasing the width of the canal, thereby leading to clogging and hindering free flow of water,” it said. Quoting the Integrated Urban Regeneration and Water Transport System (IURWTS) for rejuvenation of major canals in the city, the report stated that the canals would be restored to their original width and condition by desilting and clearing obstructions or encroachment and improving the canal system by constructing side-walls and levelling up as found necessary considering the tidal variation.