Corp plans to scrap ‘Pettiyum Parayum’

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The city corporation is planning to scrap the age old system of ‘Pettiyum Parayum’ a de-watering tool used to pump water from low lying areas into the backwaters.

The water is drained out through the canals connected to the lake. According to civic authorities, the maintenance of this instrument involves a huge expense draining the already weak corporation exchequer.

And the mechanism does not have the desired effect in preventing water-logging during the monsoon in the city.

In a recent council meeting mayor Tony Chammany said the local body had to incur a huge expense for the maintenance of the traditional de-watering system over the last 10 years.

“Despite spending crores of rupees, the instruments installed in various canals failed in preventing flooding during the monsoon. We need to rethink the use of ‘Pettiyum Parayum’ in the coming days,” he said. The instrument needs proper maintenance every year as it is deeply immersed in water and rusts quickly.

A final decision on whether to preserve the traditional instrument will be taken soon, the mayor added.

Meanwhile, Works Standing Committee Chairperson Soumini Jain said, “If canals and drains are properly de-silted and cleaned, there will not be much need for Pettiyum Parayum.

However, the instruments can’t be removed all of a sudden.” This year, all the instruments have been maintained spending nearly Rs 15, 50, 000.

And the repair works were under the strict monitoring of the Works Committee. There are widespread allegations that the maintenance of ‘Pettiyum Parayum’ has become the monopoly of some contractors who are quoting huge amounts to undertake the repair work.

The city has nine such instruments — two in Mulassery Canal, one near KSRTC bus stand, two in Panampilly Nagar, one near Hotel Gokulam Park in Kaloor, two in Vyttila, and one in Chettichira.