The Hindu Business Line : River board to deal with Pamba pollution mooted

A CONCEPT paper on `sustainable improvement of the Pamba River,' prepared by two German engineers, recommends the establishment of a Pamba river board to coordinate, implement and monitor all pollution control measures on the river.

The paper, written by Dr Hans-Peter Weigel and Mr Bernd Schneider of the State Department of Construction, Environment and Traffic, Bremen, Germany, was presented at an ongoing workshop on mitigation of pollution in the Pamba river organised by the Centre for Earth Science Studies, Thiruvananthapuram.

According to the authors, "too many players" are involved in solving the river's problems, and therefore suggest the establishment of a single authority with decision-making powers. This authority should have members drawn from different areas, including the State Government, local municipalities and representatives of plantations and representatives of the Sabarimala temple administration.

Besides such administrative measures, the paper also makes several technical proposals on steps to reduce pollution in the river.

One recommendation is with respect to the management of waste caused by the large number of pilgrims visiting the Sabarimala temple located on the banks of the Pamba. The paper's authors recommend the installation of a `pressure sewer collection system' in the Sabarimala area and also suggest that solid and liquid waste be segregated and treated onsite. The waste generated by the pilgrims can be treated and turned into biogas and fertiliser, they add.

Similarly, the paper points out that while there is a need to increase the number of toilets in the Sabarimala region, there is also a need to apply technology to this issue. The authors recommend that technology influence the design of toilets, the materials used to construct them and even the cleaning of these toilets.

In fact, they suggest that Pamba is an ideal location to test high-tech public toilets. However, the authors point out that the design of such toilets will have to be changed to suit Indian standards.

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