The Pampa, which the Hindus consider as the holy Dakshin Ganga, recorded an all-time high level of pollution during the last Makaravilakku festival, thanks to the laxity of the authorities concerned in addressing the menace that has been plaguing the river for the last three decades.
The daily water quality analysis by the Kerala State Pollution Control Board (PCB) during the festival days revealed certain scary facts. A PCB report submitted to the government two months ago showed that total coliform bacteria count and the faecal coliform count had reached 22,00,000 (22 lakh) most probable number (MPN) and 13,00,000 (13 lakh) MPN for every 100 ml respectively in the Njunangar, a tributary of the Pampa that originates from Sabarimala, on January 13. This is against the permissible limit of 500 MPN for every 100 ml for collective bathing. The samples taken from the intake point of the Kerala Water Authority’s drinking water supply station at Pampa also showed alarming presence of coliform.
The PCB report says that the collection tank of free toilets near the Valiya Nadappanthal at the Sannidhanam was found overflowing. The entire filth thus reached the Pampa through the
Kakkathode stream, leading it to the vicinity of the KWA intake well.
The treated effluent at the sewage treatment plant at Pampa showed BOD exceeding the permissible limit.
The packing inside the parallel plate separator of the sewage plant too was found collapsed due to overloading during the Makaravilakku festival.
The State machinery and the Travancore Devaswom Board are yet to consider the PCB report and take steps to address the issue before the next pilgrim season beginning in November.
