The Hindu Business Line : Concern over tardy implementation of Pampa Action Plan

IN the absence of an independent body like Pampa River Basin Development Authority, the Pampa Action Plan (PAP) approved by the Union Government under the National River Conservation Programme (NRCP) about two years back, moves at a snail's pace.

As a result, the pollution of the river has reached such a stage that skin diseases are reported from various downstream parts of the basin, alleged Mr N.K. Sukumaran Nair, General Secretary, Pampa Samrakshana Samiti.

The Centre has approved 11 schemes in the first phase under the programme involving an investment of Rs 18.45 crore, and sanctioned its share of Rs 12.9 crore. It had, in fact, advanced Rs 75 lakh also for commencing the project, he said. Of the 11 schemes, seven have to be implemented by the Travancore Devaswom Board (TDB), while four by the State Irrigation Department. Yet, the implementation remains at a very slow pace even after appointing the Water Authority as the nodal agency for implementing these schemes by a Government order on November 18, 2003, he alleged.

TDB sources said it had already called for tenders for awarding the works and the other departments involved are also in the process of implementing the schemes allotted to them. Meanwhile, similar projects are under implementation in various other States involving a total investment of Rs 4,200 crore, Mr Nair said.

It is imperative that water quality of Pampa river is improved/ upgraded in its entire stretch not only for the beneficial use of water for the use of pilgrims and in the townships situated within the basin, but also for improving water quality in the downstream stretches, especially in the water-logged areas of Kuttanad and Vembanad Lake.

In fact, the water quality monitoring done by the Kerala State Pollution Control Board, as per the directions of the High Court, had brought to light the urgent need for an action plan for cleaning up the river, he said.

Anticipating such a situation, the Union Ministry of Environments and Forests (MoEF) had accepted the Pampa Action Plan (PAP) in principle in 2001. The NRCD had sanctioned the project to control pollution control at Sabarimala and Pampa as part of the major project involving a total expenditure of around Rs 320 crore, 70 per cent of which would be borne by the Centre.

The quality of the water in the river has deteriorated due to the uncontrolled disposal of sewage and total wastes from the townships in the river basis as well as the runoff from the rural areas.

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