Summer rain plays spoilsport; too late for flood mitigation

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Almost all low-lying areas in the capital city were deluged following the incessant summer showers over the past few days exposing how ill-prepared the city is to face the upcoming monsoon expected to set in on May 26 as per the MET forecast. The unexpected lockdown and lack of coordination between departments has badly affected the pre-monsoon cleaning drive here. Within a few hours of continuous showers the other day, various parts of the city including Chalai, Manacaud, Karimadom, Yamuna Nagar, Muttathara and Ashan Nagar were flooded, thereby raising serious concerns on the preparedness of the city to face the monsoon. 

Following the flash floods, the district administration has asked the authorities concerned including Thiruvananthapuram corporation and the Minor Irrigation Department to de-clog canals on a war footing. An order has been issued to various departments on the emergency works needed to be taken up to avoid flooding and other calamities during the monsoon. 

“The departments will be held responsible if the order is not executed. We will take legal action under Sections 56 and 57 of the Disaster Management Act 2005 against the officers involved if adequate measures are not taken,” said a senior official.However, according to officials, it is too late to take up any major engineering works to resolve flooding issues due to the ongoing summer showers.

“Now, it’s impractical to do any major work and only emergency work could be executed in such a short period. We were supposed to undertake these works during the summer but with the Covid-19 outbreak and subsequent  lockdown stalled all our plans. The summer showers have also come as a huge blow to the pre-monsoon drive as workers can’t engage in deep cleaning. Emergency de-clogging work is under way,” said an official concerned.

Draft disaster management plan
The Thiruvananthapuram corporation has submitted the draft of the disaster management plan for the state capital. Following back-to-back floods, the state government has directed the local self-government department to prepare local-body level disaster management plans to handle disasters. A senior official of the corporation said that the draft plan has been submitted to the District Planning Committee for further approval. 

more infra for setting up relief camps 
The district administration has introduced strict norms to handle rain-related calamities in the context of the pandemic. Directions have been given to authorities to list possible infrastructure in their panchayats including schools, auditoriums, convention centres, commercial structures and private institutions to set up relief camps. 

“We cannot allow crowding at the camps. Unlike previous years, we can accommodate fewer people owing to the social distancing norms. We will have to increase the number of camps in the coastal belts,” said the official.

in a nutshell
The district administration has asked the authorities to de-clog canals on a war footing. However, according to officials, it is too late to take up major engineering works. The corporation has submitted draft of the disaster management plan to the District Planning Committee for approval. Infrastructure facilities are being identified in panchayats to be converted into relief camps. 

Emergency works to be taken up before monsoon
Cleaning of Thekkinikkara Canal on either side of the Chalai Bypass
Cleaning up of Karimadom Pond and the canal from the Kuriyathi side which merges with the Thekkinikkara Canal
Cleaning of Kariyil Thodu passing via Sreevaraham and Muttathara wards