A recent study conducted by A. G. Murugesan, Professor and Head of Sri Paramakalyani Centre of Excellence in Environmental Sciences of Manonmaniam Sundaranar University, Alwarkurichi, and his team of researchers has showed that faecal coliform content in the Tamirabharani during the Aadi Amavasai festival this year was much lesser than the previous years, thanks to effective measures taken by the district administration and the Department of forests.
The 125 km-long Tamirabharani, nourishing over one lakh acres of land in Tirunelveli and Thoothukudi districts and quenching the thirst of several million of people in three southern districts before draining into the Gulf of Mannar at Punnaikaayal, is getting polluted by domestic and industrial waste everyday. The level of pollution goes beyond tolerable levels during the Aadi Amavasai festival celebrated at Sorimuthu Ayyanar Temple located inside the Kalakkad-Mundanthurai Tiger Reserve (KMTR).
Since thousands of devotees gathering at this shrine for the celebrations and those camping for 10 days during the festival pollute the Tamirabharani through open defecation, the temperature-tolerant coliform content in the river increases alarmingly. In other words, the Kaani Tribes living in the KMTR, who use the river water for domestic purposes, avoid it and rely on other sources during Aadi Amavasai festival and even 30 days or so after the celebrations as they are fully aware of open defecation polluting their water source.
Dr. Murugesan and his team, who are testing the pollution level of Tamirabharani during and after Aadi Amavasai festival for the past 11 years by collecting water samples at different spots, carried out the assessment of microbial pathogenic load this year also. The team collected water samples at Papanasam dam in the upstream, a few spots near the temple and downstream four days prior to the festival and three days after it. “Interestingly, this year’s study shows that the level of coliform that causes diarrhoea, urinary tract infections, gastroenteritis, meningitis, pneumonia, respiratory tract diseases etc. in the river during and after the Aadi Amavasai celebrations is less than the previous years. This is mainly due to the awareness created among devotees and effective steps taken by the district administration and the Department of forests,” Dr. Murugesan said.
As open defecation and draining of waste of a few thousand animals sacrificed at the temple polluted the Tamirabharani during the festival, temporary toilets were erected and well maintained at different locations.
Dr. Murugesan, while welcoming the restrictions, said that standard guidelines should be formulated and more stringent restrictions imposed to reduce ecological degradation caused by pilgrims coming to shrines, particularly inside forests.
