M.K. Raghavan, MP, has demanded that the State government rethink the project to widen Connolly Canal in the city considering the number of people who will be displaced if the project is implemented. Speaking at a public meeting to share the anxieties of the residents on the eastern bank of the canal, under the aegis of the Connolly Canal Theerajana Samrakshana Samithi here on Saturday, he urged the government to at least consider the alternatives suggested by the public. “It is cruel to displace so many people who have lived here all their lives. If the government is planning to force the project on the public, we will resist it strongly,” the MP said.
The immediate trigger for the public meeting is the beginning of survey for the Canal City project under which the Connolly Canal will be widened and deepened to suit the requirements of the National Water Way. The Samithi, which is a collective of 35 residents’ associations on the eastern bank of the canal, claimed that more than 1,000 families will be displaced if the canal is developed to have a lower width of 32 metres. Besides the width of the canal, space is needed for approach roads on both sides and boat jetties, which would make the total width required around 60 metres.
“We could have an elevated road from Arayadathupalam to Kunduparamba and develop the eastern side of the canal. Thus the huge evacuation and rehabilitation process could be avoided,” Mr. Raghavan said.
The samithi also questioned the necessity of the water way, if the purpose is goods transportation. “Why not use the sea? The deepening of the canal will cause salt water to enter it, which will affect the quality of water in the nearby wells,” said Aravindakshan. K.S., who presided over the meeting. State secretary of All Kerala River Protection Committee T.V. Rajan said that the National Water Way 3 is only from Kovalam to Kozhikode and the one from Kozhikode to Bekal was supposed to be State Water Way. “However, the State Water Way is being developed on par with the National Water Way to get it approved by the Centre and also for tourism development. With the fruition of the project, the whole network will be under the control of corporates and will not be accessible to the general public free of cost,” he added. He said that the development of the water way is yet another less thought-out project that would lead to wastage of public money.
Corporation councillor K.C. Shobhita, chairman of protest committee against artificial canal in Kannur E. Maneesh, and human rights activist Johny Sebastian were among those present on the occasion.
