THIRUVANANTHAPURAM:
Encroachment, dumping of garbage and general negligence by the
Corporation are slowly killing an old pond in the Mannanthala area.
The Thengumkulam pond in Gandhiji Nagar, Mannanthala, previously
belonged to the then Ulloor Panchayat. When Ulloor Panchayat was
merged with the Thiruvananthapuram Corporation in 2000, it became a
property of the Corporation.
Formerly, this pond was a main
source of water for irrigation to the agricultural areas. But,
gradually, the paddy lands were filled up and converted as housing
plots and as a result of this, there became no need for water from
this pond for irrigation purpose.
Now, the pond has become very
shallow and it has almost got dried up. Nowadays, there will be water
in the pond only during the rainy season. It is overgrown with grass,
all types of weeds and has become a breeding centre for mosquitoes
and other harmful insects and creatures.
T Ramachandran Nair, executive
committee member of the Gandhiji Nagar Residents’ Association,
describes it as the ‘Muthassikulam’ of Nalanchira-Mannanthala
area. An 81-year-old lady, Sarada K, of the locality laments that the
pond has been reduced by 35 cents by this time due to encroachment
and dumping of waste. This happened as a result of the continued
negligence on the part of the former Ulloor Panchayat and later by
the Corporation.
The maintenance and upkeep of this
pond is highly essential for retaining the ground water level of the
area. It is also the policy of the Government to preserve existing
water bodies to meet the shortage of water.
"The Gandhiji Nagar
Residents’ Association, ever since its formation in 1991, has been
taking up the matter of cleaning and upkeep of the pond with the then
Ulloor Panchayat and later with the Corporation,’’ its president
Jameskutty Cyriac said. But all efforts were in vain and the
Corporation has not taken any steps for the revival of the pond so
far.
"The estimate for undertaking
the work has already been prepared and given to the Irrigation
Department. Further developments are awaited,’’ said Vanaja
Rajendrababu, the Councillor of Mannanthala Ward.
It is high time the Corporation
urgently intervened to protect this pond, lest it too becomes
history.
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