Question : Development of Kuttanad Wetland Eco-system

(a) whether the Government has agreed to grant financial assistance for the implementation of various programmes/ interventions suggested by Dr. M.S. Swaminathan Research Foundation for development of Kuttanad Wetland Ecosystem in Kerala and if so, the details thereof;

(b) whether the Government has issued the investment clearance for the said project including modernization of Thanneermukkom Barrage which is critical for the mitigation of floods in Kuttanad region and if so, the details thereof;

(c) whether Kerala has submitted any proposals for financial assistance and investment clearance for the project and if so, the details thereof and the action taken thereon; and

(d) whether there has been a delay in implementation of various works associated with the project and the funds are remaining underutilized and if so, the reasons therefor including the funds released/utilized along with the current status of the project?

THE MINISTER OF STATE FOR WATER RESOURCES, RIVER DEVELOPMENT AND GANGA REJUVENATION & PARLIAMENTARY AFFAIRS

(SHRI ARJUN RAM MEGHWAL)

(a) The works for development of Kuttanad wetland eco-system in Kerala are being funded and implemented through the following Ministries of Government of India, namely,
i. Ministry of Water Resources, River Development & Ganga Rejuvenation
ii. Ministry of Agriculture & Farmers Welfare
iii. Ministry of Environment & Forest and Climate Change

Through Ministry of Water Resources, RD & GR & CWC, the following schemes are being implemented in the Kuttanad region and funded under Flood Management Programme (FMP)

i. KEL-1- Mitigation of Flood in Group-I (Padasekharams) in Kuttanad region
ii. KEL-2- Regulation of flood water in Kayal area, 4 padesekharams and Mitigation of floods in group 9, 5 nos. Padasekharams in Kuttanad region


iii. KEL-3- Mitigation of floods in Kuttanad region – Phase-I (group 2-5, 7, 8, 10-19), 231 padasekharams (paddy fields)
iv. KEL-4- Mitigation of floods in Onattukara region comprising of 12 watersheds in Kerala state

(b) Government of India has accorded investment clearance for the following projects as below:
1. KEL-1- FMP- Mitigation of Flood- Group-I (14 Padasekarams) in Kuttanad Region on 05.05.2010
2. KEL-2- FMP- Regulation of flood waters in Kayal area, 4 padasekarams & Mitigation of floods in Group-9, 5 padasekarams in Kuttanad on 30.07.2010.
3. KEL-3- FMP- Mitigation of Floods in Kuttanad region, Phase-I (Group 2-5, 7, 8, 10-19) 231 padasekharams (Paddy fields) on 30.05.2011.
4. KEL-4- FMP- Mitigation of Floods in Onattukkara Region comprising of 12 water sheds under Kuttanad package on 09.11.2011.
5. Modernisation of Thanneermukkom Barrage on 09.03.2017.

(c) & (d) Government of Kerala is implementing the four projects in KEL-1, KEL-2, KEL-3, and KEL-4 in the Kuttanad region with central assistance under FMP.
The projects are being implemented with extension of time. The reasons put forth by project authorities for delay in completion are:
1. The padasekharams (fields) are below mean sea level and in most of the padasekharams, cultivation is carried out in 2 crop seasons. Due to monsoon, flooding and water logging, the available working season has been restricted to less than 6 months. During cropping season, farmers are not willing to hand over the site of the motor thara and pothumada to the Department as the existing ones are under operation for dewatering. Hence, the construction period for erecting permanent structures like motor thara and shed, pothumada is further limited to just 2 months in a year.
2. For majority of the padasekharams, the materials for the construction such as rubble, aggregates, cement etc. have to be transported through the net work of channels using country boats. These channels are filled with water hyacinth, thereby affecting the movement of country boats which in turn is affecting the anticipated progress.
3. The materials required for the construction have to be collected first at nearby boat landing places from where it has to be loaded on to country boats.
4. Large scale stacking of construction materials over the slender bunds are practically impossible during croping seasons as these space are used as foot path by farmers. Also the construction of pothumada and such other CD works during the croping season is difficult as they are needed to regulate water.
5. Since the Random Rubble masonry work is to be carried out in submerged site conditions, the availability of labour is much less than anticipated. The scarcity of man power is also an hurdle.
6. As and when ban is imposed on quarries, scarcity of rubble is experienced.
Govt of Kerala has been submitting proposals for financial assistance for the above four schemes namely KEL-1, KEL-2, KEL-3 and KEL-4 and central assistance are being released accordingly. The details of Central Assistance (CA) released, time extension, fund utilisation and current status are enclosed as Annexure-I.

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Annexure-I


ANNEXURE REFERRED TO IN REPLY TO PART (c) & (d) OF UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 435 TO BE ANSWERED IN LOK SABHA ON 19.07.2018 REGARDING “DEVELOPMENT OF KUTTANAD WETLAND ECO-SYSTEM”

Sl No. Name of the Scheme Total Estimated cost of project (Rs in Cr) Scheduled completion time First extension of time granted Subsequent extension of time requested by State Total CA Released Up to Mar-18 (Rs in Cr) Fund Utilisation Status Current Status of the Project
1 KEL-1 24.70 31/3/12 31/3/15 31/3/18 11.197 Govt of Kerala submitted
Utilisation certificate for Exp up to Mar-18 Project completed
2 KEL-2 118.913 31/3/12 31/3/15 31/3/18 65.864 -do- Project completed
3 KEL-3 106.13 31/3/13 31/12/16 31/3/19 49.6364 -do- Ongoing
4 KEL-4 70.00 31/3/13 31/12/16 31/3/19 11.25 -do- Ongoing