Bison Valley panchayat demands to fill up check dam

A panchayat committee has decided to approach the District Collector seeking to fill up the check dam

The Bison Valley grama panchayat in Idukki has rejected an inspection report submitted by the State Minor Irrigation and Soil Conservation departments recommending against filling the check-dam on the Chokramudi hills.

According to Bison Valley panchayat secretary Suni N., the panchayat committee has decided to approach the District Collector seeking to fill up the check dam.

“The panchayat has already submitted a letter to the District Collector, requesting funds from the District Disaster Management Authority (DDMA) fund to fill the check dam. The panchayat will take further steps as per the direction from the District Collector,” said Ms. Suni.

The Minor Irrigation and Soil Conservation departments’ study revealed that water was flowing through a damaged portion of the check dam. The team also recommended planting vetiver and grass in the area to prevent soil erosion on the hills.

Meanwhile, the Chokramudi Protection Council has also rejected the recommendations and has reached out to the panchayat authorities insisting that they dismiss the report and take action to fill up the check dam.

Byju Balakrishnan, a member of the Chokramudi Protection Council, said that the panchayat committee discussed the issue on Monday and ruled out the expert committee report.

“In the rainy season, heavy water flows from the hill. The Minor Irrigation and Soil Conservation departments failed to find the actual threat of the check dam,” said Mr. Balakrishnan.

Recently, a special investigation team (SIT), led by Inspector General K. Sethuraman of the North Zone, had submitted a detailed 12-page report regarding the environmental problems at the Chokramudi hills. The report has emphasised the threat posed by the check dam to the hills.

The State Mining and Geology department had reported that soil piping was found on the site of the check dam, which indicates that construction activities here can lead to landslides.

Published - December 17, 2024 09:02 pm IST