Stench & flies as waste piles up on Central Theatre Road
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T'puram: Heaps of garbage have been lying unattended for months beside the Amayizhanjan Canal along Central Theatre Road, stretching between Pazhavangadi and Power House Road in the city centre, causing hardship to local traders and pedestrians even as the city corporation and the major irrigation department are passing the buck regarding its clearance.
For traders, the mounting refuse is more than a bureaucratic headache; it is hurting business and causing diseases. Shop owner Viswamabaran T said: "Customers avoid this stretch because of stench and flies. We've seen daily footfall drop by nearly 30% since the dumping began." Another shopkeeper Ajith Kumar V said: "The waste is full of leachate and pests. People with breathing problems or children avoid walking here; it's a health hazard," Ajith said.
The waste was reportedly left behind by the contractor appointed by the major irrigation department, following canal desilting works earlier this year. According to a senior city corporation official, since the cleaning was undertaken by the irrigation department, disposal of the dredged material falls within the same agency's scope. "Cleaning of main canals, including the Amayizhanjan, is being done by major irrigation department.
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So it is their responsibility to remove the waste," he said.
A senior official with the irrigation department firmly disputed the stance, asserting that "the corporation must clear the debris left behind by the contractor. However, we will ask him to remove the waste soon."
Amayizhanjan Canal has long been reflecting the city's waste management failures. Following sanitation worker Joy's tragic death a year ago, cleaning works under the railway tunnel were wrapped up recently spending Rs 63 lakh.
Yet, citywide canal cleaning has been plagued by delays, stalled slab laying at Vanchiyoor, financial hold-ups and inconsistent joint agency coordination.
Kerala State Human Rights Commission had earlier called on authorities to act urgently to clear waste and restore water flow ahead of monsoon. However, fund crunch remains an issue. In total, more than 500 works are under way across the city aimed at cleaning, deepening and desilting canals and drains to prevent urban flooding.
Amayizhanjan Canal was one of the key focus areas, particularly the segment running under the railway tracks at Thampanoor, which has historically been a bottleneck during heavy rains.
A cleaning drive of the Amayizhanjan Canal was carried out in 2019, but it again got clogged with waste materials, deterring the smooth flow of water through the drain. Amayizhanjan Canal has been in a sorry state for so long. Neither the city corporation nor the irrigation department has taken up the cleaning of the canal properly.
As a result, Thampanoor witnessed flash floods regularly.
Meanwhile, Centre has yet to release Rs 200 crore for the comprehensive flood mitigation project, including the clean-up of all canals and drains in the city based on the proposal submitted by the Kerala State Disaster Management Authority. The proposal was submitted last year during the monsoon.
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