Need package to mitigate Kuttanad flood scare: Oppn

Thiruvananthapuram: In the wake of the UN’s intergovernmental panel report that has warned of heavy rains and floods especially in the southern parts of the country, the opposition demanded in the assembly on Wednesday that an immediate comprehensive programme is required for mitigating the flood scare in the Kuttanad region.
Opposition leader V D Satheesan demanded a comprehensive programme by integrating multiple stakeholder departments after evaluating the net result of the projects that have been implemented till date in the region.
Seeking leave for adjournment motion, MLA P C Vishnunath said that even though the floods are not new for the people of Kuttanad, the floods of 2018 wreaked havoc, from which the region has still not recovered. Vishnunath said that the previous LDF government announced a package of Rs 500 crore for the region in 2019, followed by another one in February this year. None of these have been implemented, and the people are living in fear when the monsoon arrived this year. He said that in the last three years, paddy in only 55% of the area under agriculture in the region could be harvested.
Water resources minister Roshy Augustine replied that the second phase of Kuttanad package is under implementation. He added that IIT-Chennai would submit its report soon after a comprehensive study of the area, and necessary action would be taken on the basis of the report. He further said that agriculture, fisheries and water resources ministers are visiting Kuttanad and are reviewing the necessary short- and long-term measures to be taken.
Meanwhile, Kuttanad MLA Thomas K Thomas blamed that UDF that had spoiled the implementation of the first Kuttanad package is now lamenting about the grief of people in the region. Former opposition leader Ramesh Chennithala said that black-sand mining is not what is required, instead the urgent removal of sand and silt to ensure free flow of water to the Arabian Sea is needed.
Earlier, speaker M B Rajesh said that the matter is not of urgent nature to be taken up under the adjournment motion. Satheesan, however, said that the opposition’s new approach is to take up matters that are of public importance. The discussions in the assembly should be result-oriented, and the speaker should appreciate it.
He said that Kuttanad, which has been declared as one of the Ramsar sites, will be among regions to be the first casualties as the IPCC panel report found Kerala as one of the vulnerable areas. He said that till now, the region has received a flood of promises, but nothing has turned into reality. He said that Vembanad lake has already shrunk into one fourth of its original size. The main issue of not providing free inward and outward movement of water from the three main rivers to the region remains without being addressed. Satheesan said that the opposition will cooperate with any fruitful discussions and solutions for Kuttanad.