Tree panel delay holds up dome fencing work along Amayizhanjan canal

T’puram: The much-awaited dome fencing project along the Amayizhanjan canal, aimed at preventing indiscriminate waste dumping into the canal, is likely to face further delays as corporation is yet to convene a meeting of its tree panel to clear the felling of trees along the canal stretch.The delay has also affected efforts to curb the continued dumping of garbage into the canal, with fresh heaps of waste accumulating at several locations despite periodic cleaning by civic body.The irrigation department, which is executing the Rs 5.54-crore dome fencing project, requires permission to remove several trees standing along the canal before work can commence. Corporation officials said the mandatory approval from the tree committee is still pending, but added that a meeting would be convened shortly to take a decision.The proposed dome fencing was announced by state govt following the death of sanitation worker N Joy during canal cleaning operations in July 2024. The project envisages installing dome-shaped steel fencing over vulnerable stretches of the canal to prevent people from throwing household waste, plastic and construction debris into the waterway while allowing access for periodic maintenance and emergency cleaning.

The fencing is expected to cover more than 2km of the canal, particularly through densely populated and commercial areas where illegal dumping is rampant. The project also forms part of a broader strategy to improve stormwater flow and reduce urban flooding during the monsoon.Meanwhile, corporation workers continue to remove accumulated waste using earth movers at various locations.“We are carrying out regular cleaning with earth movers and other machinery, but unless the dome fencing is installed, waste dumping cannot be effectively prevented.

The tree committee meeting will be called soon so that the necessary approvals can be issued,” a senior corporation official said.The civic body has also intensified surveillance by installing CCTV cameras at vulnerable locations and deploying special monitoring squads to identify and penalize those dumping waste into the canal. An AI-powered robotic cleaning system, G-Spider, has also been introduced to assist in removing floating waste from difficult stretches. Despite these measures, officials say permanent improvement can be achieved only through a combination of physical barriers, strict enforcement and greater public participation in protecting the canal.