As heavy rains continue unabated in Kerala’s Kochi, many parts of the city’s suburbs are facing waterlogging and turbulent seas. With the added effects of the high tide and strong winds, areas like Kannamaly in Chellanam panchayat and Veliyathamparambuin Nayarambalam panchayat witnessed the sea entering their houses on Tuesday and Wednesday, July 4 and 5. As sea water flooding the houses has become an annual phenomenon in many of these areas, residents refused to shift to temporary relief camps, demanding a lasting solution to their woes.
The residents of Veliyathamparambustaged a protest on Wednesday morning, demanding a seawall similar to the one that was built in the southern parts of Chellanam panchayat last year. “After the tetrapod seawall was erected on one stretch of the Chellanam coast, they don't face much difficulty now. We are demanding something similar here,” said Sanil, Shinson, and Arish of Valiyaparambu. Joshi Kaitholathil, another resident whose house was flooded with sea water said, “We will not go to the camp as it has become an annual occurrence now. Once we go to the camp, we will stay there for a while and come back. No solution will have been implemented here.” Residents, most of whom are fisherfolk, have also been unable to go to work since Saturday due to the turbulent seas.
Veliyathamparambu residents say that panchayat and village officials have not taken effective action to prevent the recurring flooding. “They merely mend the sandbank when it gets washed away by the waves. That is not an effective solution to the issue the coast is facing now,” said Shinson. An action council was formed by the residents in light of the worsening situation, and a meeting with the district collector was held on Wednesday. Neethu Binod, Nayarambalam panchayat president, said that the panchayat has submitted the requests for a seawall to all the concerned authorities.
Shiju, an action council member, said that the Collector has assured them that a temporary seawall of geobags will be installed within two weeks. “Even as the discussions were going on, water entered around 200 houses on Wednesday. Yet, the residents have decided not to move to camps set up by the government as a mark of our protest,” he said.
However, the geobag seawall is not sufficient protection, the example of Kannamaly seems to suggest. The Times of India reported that the rough waves of the past two days washed away thousands of geobags that had been piled along the Kannamaly coast to build a barrier against the sea. It also said that heavy waves caused structural damage to several houses, and the resultant waterlogging clogged sewage pipes at several places. Kannamaly residents are also refusing to shift to relief camps in protest.
The Indian Meteorological Department (IMD) has predicted heavy rainfall for Ernakulam and issued an orange warning for Thursday. Educational institutions will remain shut in the district. The Health Department has issued a warning against the spread of leptospirosis. Those engaged in cleaning works have been advised to use thick gloves and take the preventive medicine doxycycline.
Meanwhile, the Kerala High Court, on Tuesday, heard a case about prevention of waterflooding in the city. During the hearing, Justice Devan Ramachandran directed the Kochi Corporation Secretary to appraise the court about the rain situation in each division of the city.