The Kerala State Janakeeya Prathirodha Samithi (KSJPS) has urged the Alappuzha district administration to initiate urgent measures to address the issue of saline water flooding at Cherunkal in Kodamthuruth grama panchayat.
In a statement issued here on Sunday, Francis Kalathunkal of KSJPS said that 65 families have been affected since November last year. Saline water reportedly started entering the area after a “fish farming lobby”, which had leased pokkali rice fields for aquaculture, destroyed embankments, leading to the intrusion of saltwater from the backwaters.
Recently, a fact-finding team led by KSJPS vice president C.R. Neelakandan visited Cherunkal and interacted with the affected families. The team, which also included Fr. Pius Pazhayarikkal, Baiju A.S. and M.G. Sreekumar Kammath, studied the issues faced by the residents and submitted a report to District Collector Alex Varghese. The KSJPS has urged the District Collector to visit the families in Cherunkal.
The samithi said that the losses incurred to buildings and agriculture should be recovered from those responsible for the flood. It also urged the Health department to conduct a medical camp for the affected residents.
Published - March 30, 2025 07:20 pm IST
