The Rs 1,850-crore Kuttanad package recommended by the M.S. Swaminathan Research Foundation (MSSRF) appears to have gone into hibernation as the works have been stopped for revising the cost, which is to be done every two years.
The farmers are now apprehensive of the future of the project as the increase in cost following revision of estimates would have to be borne by the State government.
“There has neither been a time schedule for completion nor a priority list for the bunds to be constructed even four years after sanctioning of the package by the Centre,” Thomas Peeliyanickal, executive director, Kuttanad Vikasana Samithy, told
The Rs 4,200-crore bund construction has come to a standstill, he said. However, official sources said action has been initiated to revise the estimates and the work would resume as early as possible.
The financial burden, coupled with the new tourism development ideas proposed at the recent Emerging Kerala event, might lead to the death of the package, it is feared.
Reclamation efforts
Already, concerted efforts have been made with political backing for setting up hotels, resorts etc in the region by reclaiming kayals.
Many have bought vast stretches of kayals, which were used for paddy cultivation. “They would buy and keep it idle for ten years so as to become legally eligible for reclamation, Thomas alleged.
The ‘Rani’, ‘Chithira’ kayal (lakes), taken over by the State and lying idle for about 35 years, are included in the package in order to bring them back to paddy cultivation. For this purpose, it is proposed to construct outer bunds at a cost of Rs 24 crore under the package.
Nearly 70 per cent of the 600-acre Rani kayal for which outer bund has nearly been completed by spending Rs15 crore under the Kuttanad package is claimed to be have been bought by a Kerala-based NBFC, Thomas said.
Inaction
Given the involvement of various government departments in the construction of outer bunds, constitution of a multi-disciplinary autonomous body such as a Kuttanad Package Implementation Authority, comprising experts and technocrats, is inevitable for the transparent and timely implementation of the mega project. But so far, nothing of the sort has been done, farmers alleged.
It is a Centrally sponsored special project with 75 per cent financial assistance. However, even after 30 months, the construction of bunds remains incomplete.
In October, sowing of paddy has to take place in 1,800 acres of paddy fields in the area and that would be difficult in the absence of the bund, farmers said.