Mampuzha River Survey Going At Slow Pace

28 October 2013
Kozhikode

Seven months ago, a survey to secure the banks of Mampuzha, a perennial river that courses through parts of the district, stopped abruptly.

The official reason given was “heavy rain.” The survey, kicked off in January 2012, has a chequered history of long interruptions. This was one such instance. The survey spans 18 km of the river’s length through the district and covers Olavanna, Perumanna, and Peruvayal grama panchayats. The survey had lasted barely a week after it started from Kunnathupalam in Olavanna panchayat. A letter dated June 19, 2012, from the District Collector to the Survey Director in the State capital had expressed alarm about ‘widespread’ encroachments on the river banks.

Public furore saw the survey resume in October. It went on till March this year and stopped at Keezhmad. Today, there is over 5 km of survey to be done at Peruvayal. Besides the rain, the Revenue Department says staff shortage has hit the survey. The department has only five field surveyors. Though two of them were deputed for the Mampuzha survey, they were recalled for the purpose of identifying land for the ‘Zero Landless’ project.

Now, the Mampuzha Samrakshana Samithi has warned that “big building projects” are taking over the river banks at Peruvayal. P. Koya, its secretary, said these private projects were quickly eating up the river. T.K.A. Azeez, the samithi’s president, said the surveyed land should be returned to the panchayats immediately. But there is no haste apparent in the official circles.

Source– http://www.thehindu.com/

Found Useful? Do Share: Mampuzha River Survey Going At Slow Pace: