Kerala - Thiruvananthapuram   

Notice to be issued for polluting Padmatheertham

Special Correspondent

Public comfort station near the temple discharging sewage into the pond

IN DEEP WATERS: The polluted Padmatheertham at East Fort in the city. Photo: C. Ratheesh Kumar

Thiruvananthapuram: The Pollution Control Board and the district administration have decided to issue notice to the Sri Padmanabhaswamy Temple Trust, directing it to stop the pollution of the Padmatheertham pond. The decision was taken at a meeting convened by Revenue Divisional Officer K.V.Mohankumar here on Friday to discuss a renovation proposal for the temple tank.

Officials of the PCB told the meeting that they had gathered evidence to prove that the public comfort station bordering the pond near the eastern gate of the temple was discharging raw sewage into the water. The 50-year-old toilet block is separated from the pond only by a crumbling wall. The officials said the septic tank under the complex was likely to be polluting the water.

The PCB district office had launched an investigation to identify the source of pollution after chemical analysis of samples collected from the pond revealed an abnormally high concentration of fecal coliform. PCB officials said the thick growth of grass on the western side of the pond was indicative of sewage contamination from the septic tank of the comfort station.

Mr. Mohankumar said the temple authorities and the contractors of the toilet block would be directed to relocate the toilet block at least 10 metres away from the pond. The PCB has collected fresh samples from the four sides of the pond to confirm their findings.

In March, the RDO had launched criminal proceedings against the City Corporation, the District Medical Officer and the Sri Padmanabhaswamy Temple Trust for the failure to check the pollution of the pond.

The action followed a complaint filed by the Citizens Protection Forum, alleging neglect on the part of the authorities in maintaining the pond.

The forum said the polluted pond had turned into a breeding centre for mosquitoes, making life miserable for the residents in the locality.

Forum leaders pointed out that the failure to maintain the flushing mechanism had turned the tank into a stagnant water body. They said the Temple Trust that is responsible for maintaining the pond, had no right to levy bathing fee from the pilgrims.

The meeting also approved a proposal to restore the underground pipeline bringing fresh water to the tank from the Killi river through the wier near the Maruthunkuzhy bridge and the Kochar road. Irrigation department officials pointed out that the six km-long pipeline laid during the Travancore era had missing links at Aryasala, Pazhavangady and Thakarapparambu.

The Government and the Corporation have been under mounting pressure to clean the temple tank.

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