SANNIDHANAM: River Pamba appears pristine and undisturbed these days after Nilackal has been made the base station of Sabarimala temple. With nobody being allowed to stay for long in Sannidhanam and Pamba, the pollution level of the river is lesser.However, polluted water flowing into Njunungar stream in Sanndihanam, which gets emptied in Pamba, remains a concern. The previous UDF government had commissioned a Rs 22.5-crore sewage treatment plant ( STP ) at Sannidhanam in 2015. However, the plant with capacity to treat 50 lakh litres per day has not been fully operational right from the beginning.The most important part of the STP, the ozonization process to disinfect the contaminated water, is not functioning. As a result, infected water is released into Njunungar stream, leading to high coliform bacteria rate in Pamba. The STP project was implemented by Vasco Environmental India Pvt Ltd on behalf of the Hyderabad-based Ramky Constructions Pvt Ltd.Now, the pollution control board (PCB) has stepped in to reduce the coliform rate in the river. Based on PCB’s recommendation to the high power committee of Sabarimala master plan, the contract with the existing agency was cancelled and a new contract has been signed with Kalamassery-based Green Method Engineering.Alexander George, environmental engineer, PCB, Pathanmathitta, said the new agency started its work from November 15 and was following PCB’s advice. “Since ozonization is not working, chlorination is done to disinfect the water reaching the plant from toilets, hotels and other establishments at Sannidhanam,” George said.If the coliform rate in Pamba on November 23, 2017 was 18,000 coliform bacteria per 100ml of water, it has come down to 600 as on November 23, 2018, he said. The maximum permissible limit of coliform count in every 100 ml of water is 500, and that too only for bathing purpose.George said the STP was operating till now without PCB’s consent. Now, it has been given consent based on the agreement that the faulty ozonization system will be corrected and all the garbage and contaminated water flowing out from Sannidhanam will be directed through pipes to the STP.Bursting of pipes, overflowing of manholes and reverse flow of garbage into toilets are other problems Sannidhanam faces, he added. “PCB had already sent a report suggesting a redesign of the waste water pipe network at Sannidhanam,” he said. Despite having a capacity of 50 lakh litres, the maximum water flowed into the plant so far is 11 lakh litres. Last year the maximum was 36 lakh litres. “This shows that the entire contaminated water generated in Sanndihanam is not flowing to the STP,” he added.Meanwhile, the Sabarimala melsanthi V N Vasudevan Namboothiri urged pilgrims not to leave their clothes in Pamba. “Sanndihanam and its ecology should be protected. Don’t leave your clothes in Pamba or on the way,” he said.

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