Kochi gears up for climate change

KOCHI: As part of the climate mitigation adaptation initiatives, the City Corporation will start GIS-based mapping of Thevara – Perandoor Canal, the longest canal in the city. Surveying of the canal will start on Friday though the formal inauguration of the initiative will be held on July 12.

The Rockefeller Foundation which is funding the Asian Cities Climate Change Resilience Network (ACCCRN) programme for which Kochi has been selected will provide the financial assistance of nearly Rs. 35 lakh for carrying out the mapping. As per the request of Mayor Soumini Jain, the SCMS College of Engineering has agreed to conduct the mapping.

With no proper data on the length and width of canals in the city, the civic body is unable to conduct restoration works to address the climate change. As many as 80 civil and environmental engineering students from SCMS College of Engineering will be involved in the GIS-based survey which will be completed in 8 to 10 days.

According to the Mayor, the project will be the initial step of the climate change adaptation action plan of the City Corporation. “With the detailed database of the canals, the civic body will be able to carry out water-logging preventive measures in an effective manner,” she said.

“The city is highly vulnerable to flooding due to its specific geographical features and the clogged drains and canals add to the issue of water-logging. For the civic body, the major limitation in carrying out the development and rejuvenation of the canal system is the lack of a proper data bank and survey details. Without having a proper GIS-based map of the canals, no systematic restoration or development work can be effectively undertaken,” said Dr. Sunny George, director of SCMS Water Institute.

This is a good role model for other civic bodies where a technological institution is providing voluntary support for a local self government to carry out a scientific project.