Lanka island to launch community-led tidal flood mitigation project
The Resilient Lanka project aims to address recurrent flooding affecting property and livelihoods in the Ezhikkara panchayat of Kerala.
The Resilient Lanka project, a community-led high-tide flood mitigation initiative, is set to be launched at Lanka island in the Ezhikkara panchayat of North Paravur, according to The Hindu. Chief Minister V.D. Satheesan will inaugurate the project on November 15.
The initiative will be jointly implemented by Kochi-based Equinoct and the Happiness Project foundation, under the supervision of the Ezhikkara panchayat. It follows a five-year collaboration between Equinoct and the panchayat to monitor and assess tidal flooding through community participation.
The project focuses on preventing flooding, facilitating the receding of water, and protecting houses and properties. It aims to use local knowledge and residents' experiences to design mitigation measures suited to the settlement's specific conditions.
Ezhikkara panchayat president Seena Sajeev said the project may be critical for the community in Lanka and that the panchayat is committed to transparent implementation. She added that if successful, the project will be extended to other tidal flooding-prone areas in the panchayat.
Equinoct chief executive officer C.G. Madhusoodhanan said the first phase involves preparing a Detailed Project Report (DPR), which will be ready by the end of the year. The company has requested the State Planning Board to recognise the pilot as a demonstration model for locally led climate adaptation.
Short-term solutions are currently being worked out ahead of tidal flooding predicted for three days from November 9. Lessons from these measures will be included in the long-term DPR.