The Kerala High Court on Tuesday directed the Kochi Corporation to complete the process of tendering of the contract for desilting and removal of weeds from the Perandoor Canal at the earliest and start work within the next 10 days.
Justice Devan Ramachandran, while issuing the direction, observed that the flood preparedness of the civic authorities and the district administration to ward off the lurking danger was critical this year than any other year because, on account of COVID-19, it might become logistically impossible to move citizens to safer places like relief camps, as had been done in the past two years, keeping in mind the social distancing requirements.
The court made the observation while hearing a case related to the cleaning of the canal and its drains in the city.
The court also directed the District Collector to invoke the provisions of the Disaster Management Act appropriately and clear the stretch of Perandoor Canal from GCDA-Kadavanthra to Kammattipadam within two weeks.
The court further directed the Collector to complete the works under Phase I of the Operation Breakthrough at the earliest and report about the progress of Phase II works.
The court made it clear that it would be the overall responsibility of the district administration and in particular the District Collector, acting under the provisions of the Disaster Management Act, to ensure that canals and drains were cleaned and desilted before the monsoon.