Vaikom: Receding floodwaters of the Muvattupuzha river have trigged landslides along its banks in downstream areas of Udayanapuram, Thalayolapparambu and Maravanthuruthu.
Fear of loss of land has gripped the residents of the area near Ithipuzha bridge at Udayanapuram area.
The other day, P Valsala, a resident of Udayanapuram lost one-tenth of her 10-cent plot when the river took away land. A fruit-yielding coconut tree was uprooted and cracks have developed along the adjacent land, thus triggering the prospect of more loss of land.
The bathing ghat on the property of T Sajimol, for instance, has slid. Facing similar threats to their property are the neighbourhood houses of Honey Issac Thaiparambil, Babu Sawmill, Sunil Illikal, Prathapan, Pareeth Arackamaliyel, Pathumma Arackamaliyel and Prasanna Thoombunkal.
The residents of the region had for long been requesting civic authorities to stonewall the sides of the river, but to no avail. Similar landslips are being reported from Palankadavu in Thalayolapparambu panchayat, Kadathukavu near Idavattam Chirayil of Maravanthuruthu panchayat and Parayilpadi of Velloor panchayat. Landslips have caused road traffic disruptions on the Vettikkattumukku-Velloor and Vakkayil-Arankathanam routes.
The conduct of the river has also upset the calculations of several local families that had planned to build houses with bank loans.
