The Hindu Business Line : Pollution in Pampa triggers diseases in Kuttanad region

Kochi, Aug. 8 Non-implementation of the Pampa Action Plan (PAP) under the Centre’s national river conservation programme even five years after its approval, continues to keep the river highly polluted and as a consequence water-borne diseases in Kerala’s Kuttanad region is on the increase.

Pollution in the Pampa river due to faecal contamination is directly responsible for the increase in water-borne diseases in Alappuzha district. The government Medical College in Alappuzha receives 200 cases every year having ‘Lept Spirosis’ and the mortality rate in this case is 10 per cent, at least 20 persons die of this disease, Dr B Padmakumar, Assistant Professor of Medicine at the medical college, told Business Line.

Besides, compared to other districts, the number of cases of typhoid, viral hepatitis and gastroenteritis reported here is on the higher side, he said.

The cause can be traced to pollution of the river, he said. The Pampa river water runs into the Vembanadu Lake in Kuttanadu, where 90 per cent of the inhabitants depend on this water for their daily uses, including for drinking, as potable water is scarce in several areas.

Last year, several parts of this district witnessed an outbreak of chikungunya

and its after-effects are still felt by the infected people. This year, the outbreak, about a couple of months back, of a viral fever epidemic with symptoms similar to those of chikungunya was reported in Perinadu and Chittar panchayats of Pathanamthitta district on upstream Pampa.

Sabarimala season

Pollution in the Pampa indirectly contributes to the epidemic because of the improper and negligent handling of the garbage and disposal of sewage that contains faeces, after the November-January pilgrimage season and during and after the visit by thousands of devotees for monthly ‘darshan’ at Sabarimala, Mr S.D. Jeyaprasad, Member Secretary, Kerala Pollution Control Board, said.

The existing sewage treatment plant at Cheriayanavattom is quite inadequate.

More Stories on : Pollution | Health | Kerala

Article E-Mail :: Comment :: Syndication :: Printer Friendly Page