Visuals of floods in and around the Technopark area in Kazhakoottam, Thiruvananthapuram, have been doing the rounds since Wednesday morning. “Yes, there have been floods, but the water level is declining now,” confirms the Technopark CEO, Hrishikesh Nair. Also, many companies are not functioning today, since it is a closed holiday on account of Independence Day, he adds.
Water from the Thettiyar canal within the campus has risen and flowed into the campus, says Abhilash, administrative head of Technopark, which is known as the greenest IT park in the country.
“Water has reached the M Squared and Gayathri buildings, mostly in the Phase 3 campus. But the companies will not be affected since they are located on an elevated level. Besides, 90% of the companies are closed today,” he says.
Chinju Ashith Krishnan, a Technopark employee, who had to work on Wednesday, says, “Barring a small amount of water in the campus, all companies are fine. There is no water in the Bhavani area of the campus."
Floods in Technopark Trivandrum !!#FloodsinKerala #Kerala #Technopark #Trivandrum #floods #HeavyRainfall pic.twitter.com/pJAolQwbzS
— HARISH PADMALOCHANAN (@HARISH_2011) August 15, 2018
Sajad of the Kazhakuttam police station says, “There is no risk to the employees on the campus and no companies need to be evicted. It is only the service road in Phase 3 that has been affected.”
The situation is under control as of now, says Abhilash. But, it remains to be seen if the night showers will bring more water. “The water now should recede, nothing else can be done,” he says.
A study conducted by the Thiruvananthapuram Municipal Corporation in 2012 says that the Thettiyar thodu (canal) running in the premises of Technopark, Kazhakuttam, is being silted up. "Protection of Tettiyar thodu will prevent flooding and waterlogging in the surroundings of the Technopark area,” the study had said.
Prathidwani, a socio-cultural organisation formed by Technopark employees, had begun a campaign to clean up the canal. The rivulet had been polluted with a lot of plastic waste dumped on it over the years. The campaign was put together in association with the Thiruvananthapuram Corporation.