Surrounded by pristine strips of sand, it was a favourite thoroughfare for country boats while people used to swim here till two decades ago. Then came the overwhelming tides of encroachment and garbage, which gradually converted this once picturesque waterbody into a health hazard.
But thanks to a responsible tourism initiative, a team of men and machines have now swooped down on this two-km-long canal to clean up its putrid banks and riverbed.
The initiative, launched in connection the STREET (Sustainable, Tangible, Responsible, Experiential, Ethnic, Tourism hubs) project of the government, envisages breathing fresh life into this canal, the centrepiece of Maravanthuruth, a village destination off Kottayam.
Plan for water street
According to K.Rupesh Kumar, Coordinator, RT Mission Kerala, a journey through the canal that offers a fantastic view of the village life, its rich flora and fauna, will soon become a reality.
“Under the STREET project, Maravanthuruth will be establishing a water street comprising backwater, river, and canal streets. Arivalthodu, the canal which connects two tributaries of the Muvattupuzha river at Aattuvelakadavu and Panjippalam, will be the centre point of this project,” he says.
After the clean-up mission, country boats, pedal boats and coracles, to be operated by the local people, will begin service through the canal. Its banks will be beautified by planting flowering plants.
The village being home to ritualistic traditions such as Aattuvela, Theeyattu, Garudan Thookkam, Sarppam Thullal etc., the RT Mission is also planning to showcase its cultural heritage to guests.
Art street too
An art street, where murals will be splashed across concrete wall canvases of village homes, too will be established. The initiative has come in for appreciation from different quarters, including Tourism Minister P.A. Mohamed Riyas.
“The Arivalthodu canal in the village, which connects the two rivers, and its adjoining river has become clean under the leadership of the grama panchayat and the Responsible Tourism Development Committee. The canal is being restored with the locals taking the initiative to clear the encroachments and clean up the waste. The aim of the STREET project is to turn the stream into a canal water circuit as part of the water street programme and attract tourists to the village,” he wrote in a social media post.
According to the Minister, similar streets will emerge in 10 local bodies in the State on the lines of the Maravanthuruthu project.
