Thiruvananthapuram: Government ropes in new agency to clear silt
According to sources, the official agreement with the Kerala Clays and Ceramic Products Ltd would be signed soon.
Thiruvananthapuram: After two long years since the halting of dredging activities by Travancore Cements Ltd owing to issues relating to scientific disposal of the large volume of slits dredged out from the lake, the authorities have decided to rope in Kerala Clays and Ceramic Products Ltd yet another agency for hauling out the slit removed from the lake lying at several dumping points.
It is learned that there are around six dumping spots where the slits have been dumped. An official said that the dredging activities had to be halted because there was no official dumping site. "There has to be a solution for scientific disposal or reuse of the slit removed from the lake," said an official.
According to sources, the official agreement with the Kerala Clays and Ceramic Products Ltd would be signed soon. "The decision has been taken and the official order would be released soon. It may get delayed little further because of the elections," said the official.
Dredging activities were launched in the lake as part of the environmental regeneration of Veli - Akkulam Lake, the much-hyped project launched to save the lake from the water hyacinth menace using Centre fund. Recently, the Ministry of Environment and Forest has demanded the Kerala government to refund the unspent Centre allotment.