Choked by weeds, ₹1.35-crore makeover of pond in Neyyattinkara goes in vain

Neyyattinkara: Once a model project, the Irumbil Pond - renovated at a cost of over a crore of rupees fifteen years ago - is fast falling into ruin due to sheer neglect. Now heavily choked with weeds and silt, the water body has become completely unusable, prompting strong demands from locals for another restoration drive. Residents allege that despite raising the issue with the authorities multiple times, no action has been taken.

The massive restoration was carried out by pooling funds from various government schemes. This included ₹50 lakh from the Department of Environment and Climate Change, ₹15 lakh from the Water Resources Department, and ₹75 lakh sanctioned for a lift irrigation project. As part of the renovation, weeds and silt were cleared from the 1.5-acre pond. A tiled walkway with iron pipe railings was built around the perimeter, and street lights were installed to illuminate the area.

The ultimate goal was to transform the pond into a thriving local tourist hub by introducing boating and swimming lessons. The renovated pond was dedicated to the public during the tenure of S.S. Jayakumar as Municipal Chairman. Upon completion, the project was hailed as a model worthy of emulation not just for the district, but for the entire state.

However, the project's lustre quickly faded after the grand inauguration. Boating services ground to a halt within a matter of days, and swimming lessons were discontinued within months.

Within a year or two, routine maintenance stopped entirely. Consequently, invasive weeds took over, pushing the water body to the brink of ruin. The infrastructure, including the walkway and street lights, is now on the verge of becoming completely derelict.

Lift irrigation project eyeing leisure activities
The lift irrigation project was envisioned to maintain a steady water level in the pond throughout the year, ensuring that boating and swimming activities could continue uninterrupted, even during the peak of summer.

Under this project, a pump house was constructed at Neyyar Kadavu near the Irumbil temple, with a pipeline running nearly one kilometre to the pond. The system was designed to pump water from the Neyyar River into the pond as needed. Additionally, the project aimed to provide irrigation water for farming in the nearby Irumbil paddy fields.

However, with the pond now choked with weeds, the benefits of the lift irrigation system have also gone to waste. According to local residents, the municipality had entered into an agreement with the Environment Department - the funding agency - promising to allocate ₹5 lakh annually for the pond's maintenance. Residents allege that the municipality has completely failed to honour this commitment.