The Hindu : Pollution continues unabated at Pampa

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Sunday, Feb 01, 2004

Kerala

Kerala

Pollution continues unabated at Pampa

By Radhakrishnan Kuttoor

PATHANAMTHITTA, JAN. 31. The flow of hazardous wastes into the River Pampa continues unabated at Cheriyanavattom on the foothills of the Sabarimala owing to the negligence on the part of the authorities concerned in attending the post-pilgrimage pollution problems in the River Pampa.

Even the State Pollution Control Board (PCB) which is supposed to control the pollution menace is yet to take any effective steps to check the flow of filth into the river, leaving lakhs of people in Central Travancore exposed to high health risks.

The flow of all sorts of wastes, that includes human excreta, through the Njunangar stream continues to pollute the Pampa.

The Government machinery has failed to keep the commitment of the Chief Minister, A.K.Antony, who had said that the River Pampa would be kept clean.

Meanwhile, the Chief Co-ordinator for Sabarimala, E. K. Bharath Bhushan, told The Hindu that he had directed the PCB to inspect the affected areas and take steps to check the filth flow into the River Pampa on a war-footing basis.

The PCB chairman, Paul Thachil, when contacted, confided that the report in The Hindu (January 26, 2004) was absolutely true and a PCB expert team had inspected Pampa a few days ago as directed by Mr. Bhushan.

However, Mr. Thachil also said that there was no PCB arrangement to monitor the situation at Pampa and Sannidhanam during the post-pilgrimage period due to various reasons. What is needed is a permanent arrangement to check the filth flow into the River Pampa from Sannidhanam, he adds.

He said that the proposed sewage treatment plant at Sannidhanam would be functional before the next Sabarimala pilgrim season, with the implementation of the Pampa Action Plan .

However, there are many who allege sheer irresponsibility and dereliction of duty on the part of the PCB to `simply sit idle' while the massive human waste flows into the River Pampa.

The PCB which is supposed to implement the Central Water Act-1974 in letter and spirit is responsible for the unabated pollution of the River Pampa, alleges Joy Eapen, an environmentalist and former Superintending Engineer with the Public works Department.

``The casual approach on the part of the PCB authorities in addressing the pollution problems in Pampa was yet another testimony to their criminal negligence towards fulfilling their commitment to the common people and the society as a whole,'' Mr Eapen alleged.

The noted environmentalist, N.K.Sukumaran Nair, has opined that the TDB could have pumped the dirty Njunangar waters to the Sewage Treatment Plant at Cheriyanavattom before it reaches the Pampa as an interim arrangement which they have failed to do.

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