Pathanapuram: Even the upper reaches of Kerala may have been inundated in heavy rain, but some low-lying regions in the state have managed to escape monsoon's wrath.

The residents of these belts in Pathanapuram of Kollam district are reaping the benefits of having cleaned up local canals and sewage lines before monsoon wreaked havoc.

That is why the deluge has not drowned the panchayats of Vilakudi, Melila and Pattambi, where the canals have become capable of carrying the surplus water.

There is no spillage and the water is gushing without obstructions. The roads and open grounds, too, are not water-logged.

It’s all a result of community activities the people undertook this summer, cleaning up the area under the aegis of organisations like Kudumbashree with the backing of various government-funded projects

The aim was to clear all the waste and shrubs along the canals and brooks in the belt.

Also, renovation was carried out on a war footing in local ponds and tanks, which are now in a position to accommodate huge volumes of water.