Kerala - Pathanamthitta

Concern over schoolchildren manning ferry boats in Pampa

Photo: Leju Kamal

Impending danger: A Plus Two student returning from school manning the ferry boat carrying fellow students and other passengers to cross the Pampa river at Sathrakkadavu in Aranmula on Friday. –

PATHANAMTHITTA: The absence of ferryman has forced schoolchildren to man the ferry boat across the Pampa at the Sathrakkadavu in Aranmula.

Even the Chaliyar boat tragedy in Malappuram does not seem to have an impact on the PWD authorities, which owns the boat, or the local grama panchayat with no steps taken to change the scheme of things.

Though the PWD has appointed a ferryman at the Sathrakkadavu, local people complain of his unauthorised absence during day time.

His absence during peak hours when schoolchildren and office-goers reach the ferry point to cross the river is causing hardship to commuters. Achuthan Pillai, a local resident, said as many as 200 students from Thottappuzhasserry panchayat and Poovathoor used the ferry to reach institutions in Aranmula.

“Most of the time, the schoolchildren are forced to take the risk of operating the ferry themselves to reach home after waiting for the ferryman for long,” he said.

The situation is not much different with the ferry service at the Anjilimoottil kadavu, 400 metres downstream of Sathrakkadavu.

Hundreds of people depend on the four ferry services at the Paarappuzha kadavu, Anjilimoottil kadavu, Sathrakkadavu and the Parappuzha kadavu to cross the Pampa along the Kozhencherry-Arattupuzha stretch.

The demand for a bridge across the Pampa at the Anjilimootil kadavu is a long-pending demand, said K.V. Sambadevan, Palliyoda Seva Sanghom president.

He said the bridge would link the Thiruvalla-Kumbazha State highway on the northern side and the Mavelikkara-Kozhencherry State highway on the southern side, besides facilitating a bypass on MC Road between Kottayam and Pandalam, reducing the distance between the destinations by 15 km.

Many children depend on the ferry services at the Paduthodu kadavu and the Kizhvaipur kadavu in the Manimala to reach their schools.

The ferry services in the Pampa at the Varavoor kadavu near Ranni, Madamon kadavu and Marathottu kadavu near Perinad, Athikkayam in Naranamoozhy panchayat and at Kisumom require the attention of the authorities.

The ferry at the Kakkattar at Seethathode and the one at the Pengattu kadavu in the Kallar near Vadasserikkara also require the attention of the authorities.

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