T’puram: The long-polluted Parvathy Puthanar in the capital city may finally get a fresh lease of life, with the Centre assuring support and funding for its cleaning and rejuvenation if the state govt submits a comprehensive project proposal.Union Jal Shakti minister C R Patil said the Centre was ready to extend financial assistance and oversee the cleaning and revival of the canal, provided the state govt takes the initiative and submits a proper project. The assurance was given during a meeting with the BJP state president Rajeev Chandrasekhar.Patil said the Union govt was willing to provide funds for the restoration of Parvathy Puthanar, which has over the years turned into a major waste carrier and one of the most polluted water bodies in the city. However, he stressed that the state govt should show interest by coming forward with a concrete proposal.The proposed conservation and rejuvenation project could transform Parvathy Puthanar and significantly alter the landscape of the city, Chandrasekhar said.Parvathy Puthanar, one of the important waterways connecting different parts of the capital, has long suffered from pollution, waste dumping, encroachments and poor maintenance. Despite several proposals for its restoration, sustained efforts to revive the canal have remained a challenge.The proposed intervention is expected to focus on cleaning the waterway and restoring its ecological health, besides improving its overall appearance and utility. The central govt involvement could also provide greater impetus to the long-pending rejuvenation efforts.The latest assurance comes at a time when the revival of the city’s water bodies and waterways has assumed greater importance amid growing concerns over urban flooding, waste management and environmental degradation.The Centre’s assurance is now expected to put the onus on the state govt to prepare and submit a detailed project, following which the Union govt can consider funding and monitoring the implementation of the revival programme.
