Ministers to review Varattar project.

A three-member team of Ministers will visit the Varattar river basin soon to review the progress of the river rejuvenation project.

Finance Minister T.M. Thomas Isaac, Water Resources Minister Mathew T. Thomas, and Agriculture Minister V.S. Sunil Kumar, who will constitute the team, will attend various congregations to be held along the Varattar riverbank on July 4.

The government launched the river rejuvenation project under its Haritha Keralam Mission with Dr. Isaac and Mr. Thomas leading a River Walk along the Varattar riverbed on May 29. The River Walk turned out to be a big hit, with the public participating in large numbers.

Enthused by the public response, the Finance Minister promised to make the required budget allocation for the rejuvenation project. The Varattar, a nine-kilometre-long river linking the Pampa and Manimala rivers, had remained more or less dead, except during the floods, for more than three decades.

Varattar turned dry with the lowering of the riverbeds of Pampa and Manimala, leaving its river mouth at a higher plane. Indiscriminate sand-mining has led to the lowering of the two riverbeds.

Experts say that raising the Pampa riverbed is mandatory to rejuvenate Varattar. However, the efforts to clear the Aadi-Pampa and the demolition of unscientific causeways constructed across the Varattar riverbed will contribute to the river rejuvenation, they say. Authorities have to demarcate the boundaries of the Varattar to identify encroachments on the riverbed. It may take a few years for the rejuvenation process to be completed.

The weed-clearing work in the Aadi-Pampa into which the Varattar’s mouth opens is progressing well. Villagers on the river banks have made it a celebration of sorts and people as well as organisations are making voluntary contributions for the weed-removal work.

THE HINDU