Malarikkal waterlily village to get a facelift: Know more

Thiruvaarppu: As part of the second Kuttanad Package, the KIIFB has approved a Rs 103.73 crore project for the desilting of Pazhukkanila Lake and the development of Malarikkal Ambal (Waterlily) village. Pazhukkanila Lake, an extension of the Vembanad backwaters, lies close to Thiruvaarppu Panchayat and Kottayam Municipality, at the confluence of the Meenachil and Kodoor rivers. The project was first proposed in 2020 by then Finance Minister Thomas Isaac and was later included in the state government's 100-day action plan in 2022.

How the project will work
The project will remove 3.68 lakh cubic meters of silt from Pazhukkanila Lake, which spans 1.62 square kilometres. The extracted silt will be used to strengthen the 27.8 km-long outer bunds of paddy fields under the J Block polders in Thiruvaarppu Panchayat, as well as the Thiruvaykkari and F Block areas in Kottayam Municipality, making them accessible to vehicles. Using satellite surveys, the lake's varying depths will be measured, and desilting will be carried out at depths ranging from 1.75 to 2.35 meters.

The benefits
Flood control: Desilting the lake will help manage flooding in western side of Kottayam during the monsoon, allowing water from rivers to flow quickly into the lake.
Support for farming: Strengthened bunds will protect paddy cultivation and enable double cropping per year.
Transportation and logistics: The reinforced bunds will facilitate faster transportation of harvested paddy and easier delivery of agricultural inputs and machinery to the fields.
Road Development and Tourism: A 14.5 km road bund can be constructed, opening new opportunities for tourism and creating potential for water sports and related activities.