It is high time the government took necessary initiative to address the pollution problems facing the Pampasays, N.K. Sukumaran Nair, general secretary, Pampa Parirakshana Samiti.
The government is yet to form an Environment Management Cell for Sabarimala as proposed by the Legislative Committee on Environment in 1998. Mr. Nair urged the government to set up a Pampa Protection Force on the lines of the Centre’s Ganga Suraksha Sena. Though the Pampa Action Plan had stressed the need to construct interception barriers across the Kakkathode and Urakkuzhi-theerthom to check the sewage flow, at an estimated cost of Rs.25 lakh, the Irrigation Department had ignored it while executing other projects like construction of check-dams in the Pampa.
Mr. Nair said the Pampa Action Plan should be revived and implemented in a time-bound manner.