Kerala: ‘Ente Kulam’ project eyes fresh lease of life

KOCHI: The ‘Ente Kulam’ project awaits more support from the district administration.
As a drought-mitigation programme, it is one of the most successful large-scale water conservation initiatives undertaken in Ernakulam. “However, there hasn’t been much activity since June 2019. The project was implemented with the CSR funds of various organizations.Within a span of three years, we could revive 355 ponds in the district,” said Anup Chandran, a representative of Anbodu Kochi, an NGO actively involved in project implementation.
The initiative began in 2016 with the district administration tying up with Anbodu Kochi to revive the ponds that were drying up for want of proper attention. He said the initiative depends on funding as there is a requirement for generators, pump sets, tipper lorries, excavators and cleaning workers. “It was the district administration that brought in the funds required for implementing the project. The volunteers alone cannot take the project forward,” he added. The responsibility of maintaining the revived ponds and waterbodies was given to the local bodies, including municipalities and panchayats.
Monitored directly by the district administration, the project was implemented under the Haritha Keralam Mission through local self-government bodies, Anbodu Kochi, NSS technical cell, water resources department, Suchitwa Mission, Nehru Yuva Kendra and Kudumbashree.
Ernakulam district grabbed the second position among the south Indian states in the central government’s National Water Award 2018 for rehabilitation and revival of water resources.
Sujith Karun of Haritha Keralam said that though they have not taken up any new work since June 2019, it has been decided to go ahead with the plan of upgrading six ponds that have already been revived. “The district collector has approved it. One of the selected ponds falls within Tripunithura municipal area. The collector has permitted the municipality to go ahead with its plans to implement further conservation and rejuvenation plans for this waterbody,” Karun said.