With hardly three days left for the opening of the Sabarimala Ayyappa temple for the monthly rituals in the Malayalam month of Chingom, the main pathway of Valiya Nadapanthal leading to the temple is in a shambles.
The laying of sewer lines across the Valiya Nadapanthal, linking the wet well beside the Nadapanthal with the sewage treatment plant (STP), was completed five days ago. But the Devaswom works department is struggling to repair the main waterline carrying potable water from Saramkuthi to Paandithavalom which was broken while digging the earth using an earthmover.
Waterline yet to be repaired
TDB Assistant Engineer G. Vasanthkumar told The Hindu that the construction company was yet to repair the waterline.
The company is expected to provide the heavy duty connector required for plugging the leak in the high-pressure waterline on Saturday.
Mr. Vasanthkumar said the works department would ensure restoration of the Nadapanthal floor and the iron barricades well before the opening of the temple on August 16. He said steps had been taken for beautification of the STP premises and the pathway leading to it in the next four days in view of the visit of Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan to Sabarimala on August 18.
Mr. Vasanthkumar said the board and the high-power committee for implementation of the Sabarimala Master Plan headed by K. Jayakumar had decided to ensure foolproof functioning of the modern STP constructed at a cost of Rs.22.5 crore.
Once the STP started proper functioning, the flow of filth from the Sannidhanam to the Pampa river through the Njunangar stream would come to an end, he said.
He said the major problem with the STP was with its unscientific or rather ill-planned sewer network and the overflowing of filth from the wet well into the Pampa through the Kakkathodu stream. The underground sewer line connecting the wet well with the STP would address this problem.
