Ernakulam: Residents of Sathar Island near North Paravoor, along with environmentalists, are demanding an immediate halt to the dredging works being carried out near the island for the construction of the new NH 66. Continuous dredging has been underway for nearly two months in the stretch of the Periyar River that borders the island.

Sathar Island, one of Kochi’s underdeveloped regions, has only limited protective walls along the riverbank, and even those are in poor condition. The ongoing dredging is happening dangerously close to these weakened embankments, putting nearby homes at risk.

"If dredging continues, the very existence of the island will be in danger," warned K P Viswanathan, a resident of the island and member of the Guruvayur Devaswom Board. Currently, dredging is carried out round the clock near the island.

Located in Ward 3 of Vadakkekara panchayat in Ernakulam district, Sathar island covers an area of around 100 acres, where nearly 1,000 people reside in 114 houses.

With strong winds, heavy rains and high tides posing a persistent threat to the island, a collective of the local people has been engaged in an indefinite agitation demanding basic facilities such as a bridge, roads and proper protective walls on the river banks.