River revival plan need of the hour

KOCHI: Kerala has 41 west flowing and three east flowing rivers originating from Western Ghats and the state receives an annual rainfall that is almost double the national average. Yet, for the last three years it experienced huge water scarcity with many rivers becoming parched during summer.

Major rivers like Bharatapuzha, Periyar, Pamba, Chalakkudi and Achankovil have been exploited for sand and its tributaries are clogged with residential and industrial waste.

The state government is yet to envision a comprehensive river revival plan to address the situation that may create another drought like situation this summer.

Take

Pamba River

for instance. The river is the primary water source for districts of

Pathanamthitta

and Alappuzha and irrigates Kuttanad, the rice bowl of Kerala. The river is clogged with waste generated during the Sabarimala season and by municipalities along the banks.

The decade-old action plan to shore up the polluted river is stagnating as many of the major projects that were conceptualized under Pamba Action Plan (PAP) are yet to see the light of the day. Though a sewage treatment plant was inaugurated at the Sannidhanam to reduce the problem of solid waste being dumped into the river, none of the civic bodies along Pamba have solid waste treatment plants.

Sand mining is one major issue that has destroyed rivers of Kerala.

“A comprehensive river and sand audit should be conducted to assess the extensive damage caused to the rivers.The local bodies should identify this inter-linkages and initiate measures to protect these green zones,'' said Harish V of One earth, One life.

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