Following the devastating landslide in Wayanad on July 30, 2024, which claimed over 200 lives and drastically altered the region’s landscape, restoration work on the Punnapuzha River has begun. The Uralungal Labour Contract Cooperative Society (ULCCS) is leading the debris clearance operations in Chooralmala to restore the river’s natural flow and reduce future flood risks. Triggered by intense monsoon rains, the landslide originated from the Punchirimattam hillock and ravaged the villages of Mundakkai and Chooralmala, leaving thousands homeless and damaging hundreds of hectares of farmland. The disaster deposited nearly 5.7 million cubic meters of debris into the Punnapuzha, widening parts of the river up to 150 meters.
In response, the Kerala government has sanctioned Rs 195 crore for a comprehensive river rejuvenation project, which includes funds for debris removal, river training infrastructure, monitoring systems, and research. ULCCS has started work in the lower stretches near the Bailey Bridge, where the debris mainly consists of slush and rocks, while the upper reaches pose greater challenges due to large boulders. ULCCS Chief Operating Officer Arun Babu noted that this is one of the largest riverbed clearance efforts ever undertaken in India. To manage the complexity, ULCCS is working closely with experts from NIT Calicut and IISER Mohali for scientific support in debris management and river engineering.
The initiative is a multi-agency collaboration involving the state’s Irrigation Department and an expert committee formed to oversee the operations. The project’s goal goes beyond debris removal, focusing also on long-term river stabilization, erosion control, and improved engineering practices. The restoration of the Punnapuzha River is seen as a vital move toward rebuilding lives and infrastructure in the landslide-hit region and serves as a model of coordinated disaster recovery and environmental resilience.