Kerala - Pathanamthitta   

Plea to set up Upper Kuttanad Development Authority

Staff Reporter

PATHANAMTHITTA: The Pulikeezhu Block Panchayat has urged the Dr. M.S. Swaminathan Commission to set up an Upper Kuttanad Development Authority for effectively addressing the problems faced by the region. The block panchayat team led by president Ambika Mohan submitted a memorandum to the Commission members Dr. Balaravi and Dr. K.G. Padmakumr during their visit to the Upper Kuttanad villages of Kadapra, Peringara, Niranom and Nedumpram on Wednesday evening.

The Commission members felt that effective pollution control measures and planned development of Upper Kuttanad were necessary for the development of Lower Kuttanad.

The panchayat team called for upgrading the Sugarcane Research Institute of the Kerala Agricultural University at Kallumkal, near Thiruvalla, and the Duck Farm of the Animal Husbandry Department at Niranom as centres of excellence. The Commission members opined that the two institutions should play key role in the agriculture development of the region.

The block panchayat president said that clogging of canals, which were the natural flood escape routes in Upper Kuttand, had led to serious pollution problems in the locality, besides affecting the water transport system in the region.

Panchayat vice-president Eapen Kurien said the canals leading to rivers Pampa and Manimala should be deepened and widened. He also stressed the need to supply mechanised farming implements like paddy harvesters to the farmers in Upper Kuttanad in view of the acute shortage of farm workers in the region.

Joe Elanjimoottil, panchayat member, called for rejuvenation of river Varattar. Niranom grama panchayat president Lata Prasad, Peringara panchayat president P.S. Padmakumari, Nedumpram panchayat vice-president V.K. Kurien, Sugarcane Research Centre Associate Professor T.M. Kurien, Duck Farm Assistant Director Renny Oommen and block panchayat secretary R. Radhakumar were among those who accompanied the Commission members.

Printer friendly page  
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

Stories in this Section

Plea to set up Upper Kuttanad Development Authority
Land distributed after evicting encroachers
Proposal prepared for Rs.71.29-crore project

Copyright © 2007, The Hindu. Republication or redissemination of the contents of this screen are expressly prohibited without the written consent of The Hindu