Paandi Parambu to get relief from waterlogging

Tripunithura: The residents of Paandi Parambu near Kannankulangara will get relief from severe waterlogging as municipal authorities have laid a 32m-long pipe to divert rainwater to Andhakara canal.

With the onset of every monsoon the residents of over 30 families living here suffer, as the houses, including bathrooms and toilets, get submerged in rainwater. There used to be a wide canal called Panackal Thodu, surrounding this area and this ancient canal was linked with the main Andhakra canal, but over the years the canal got reclaimed. TOI had reported the plight of the residents in the area in its edition dated June 21, 2021.

On Friday, municipal authorities headed by chairperson Rema Santhosh and secretary Abhilash Kumar reached Paandi Parambu area, which was submerged in stagnant water contaminated with septic waste, to take stock of the situation.

“A writ petition was filed regarding a canal that was reclaimed in the area. However, we could not find any revenue records regarding the existence of a canal there. So we have decided to execute the court order in an amicable way by laying a 32m-long pipeline underneath the walkway here,” said municipal secretary Abhilash Kumar H.

He said this will enable rainwater to flow towards the main canal and thus become a permanent solution for the severe waterlogging in the area. After laying the pipeline, the land can again be used as a common walkway.

“We have been leading a nightmarish life all these years as the onset of monsoon brings fatal epidemics due to the illegal filling of Panackal Thodu surrounding the area,” said Balachandran, a resident. He said all the rooms in their houses, including the kitchen, get filled with highly toxic stagnant water every monsoon.

“Fearing the spread of fatal epidemics most of the families prefer to stay in their relatives’ houses during monsoon,” he said. The move by the municipal authorities turned out to be a great relief for the families. “I consider it as a fruitful moment as I have been fighting a legal battle for 30 years,” M Ramachandran, a retired BSNL officer said. The high court had in its order in March, 2021 directed the authorities to take measures to solve the issue.

Residents said that the laying of pipes will also help save lakhs of rupees for the municipality as they have been pumping out rainwater during each monsoon using high-power motors.