Road across Keezhattoor wetland submerged in rain

Kerala


KANNUR

The heavy rain over the past two days has submerged the road laid by the National Highways Authority of India across the wetland in Keezhattoor panchayat.

It is the same stretch of wetland, which caught the nation’s attention when the State government and NHAI decided to construct the road by overlooking the concerns raised by the farmers and environmentalists about the social and environment impact that it may bring to people living here.

This stretch of the wetland is now back in news with many sharing their views and pictures of the submerged road on social media and other platforms. Critical of the government’s action, they related it with what was in the offer if the government went ahead with its plans for the semi high speed railway.

District Environment Committee member Vinod Payyada said that the floodwater destroying the road work in Keezhattoor was expected and there is nothing to get surprised.

It is a low-lying area and if the rain continues to pour down a few more days, it may even force the people living nearby to evacuate. The wetlands are working like a cushion, which absorbs the water and replenishes the groundwater level. However, by constructing the road, it has disturbed the natural flow of water here, he said.

“It is only for people to imagine what projects like SilverLine will bring, considering the fact that the climate change is for real,” he said.

Expressing his concern on Facebook, activist Suresh Keezhattoor, leader of Vayalkilikal, a collective of villagers, who staged a protest against the project here, said that all of the environmental issues that make up this have been much discussed.

“The impending catastrophe will come even if we close our ears and eyes to the issue. Humans, who consciously change the structure of nature, are bound to experience its revenge. Let nothing happen just when it starts raining, hope is what drives us forward.” he writes.

P.V. Nishanth of Keezhattoor Azhikydhartham Samithi, said the concerns raised during the protest at Kezhattoor is turning true. He said that without understanding the geographical condition of the area, the wetlands have been destroyed.

“The impact of this destruction will be faced by the people who will find the water level rising in the region,” he said. The water flows to the Kutttikol river. The region is on par with the sea level. The construction of the road will restrict the flow of water and it will further raise the water level during monsoon, he said.



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