The Union Ministry of Environment, Forests and Climate Change (MoEFs) released Rs.5 crore to Kerala in March for implementing pollution-abatement schemes in the Pampa as part of the National River Conservation Plan (NRCP).
The Pampa is the first river system from the State to be included in the NRCP and the MoEFs had accorded administrative sanction for its first phase in 2003. The Pampa Action Plan (PAP) includes pollution-abatement schemes to the tune of Rs.319.7 crore, to be implemented along the river course from Sabarimala in Pathanamthitta to Thakazhi in Alappuzha.
Project
The project includes scientific waste disposal in 37 panchayat-municipal headquarters on the banks of the river in the two districts. The Centre sanctioned Rs.11.92 crore on May 3, 2003, for implementing 11 pollution-abatement schemes within four years from 2003-04.
In a memorandum to Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, Pampa Parirakshana Samiti general secretary N.K. Sukumaran Nair stressed the need for initiating effective steps for implementing pollution abatement schemes in the Pampa.
According to him, the Water Resources Department constructed three weirs in the river and renovated the bathing ghats, utilising Central funds a few years ago. The Centre had sanctioned an advance amount of Rs.2.75 crore in 2003. But the State submitted its utilisation certificate to the Centre only in November, 2015. The recent release of Rs.5 crore was made on March 28 only after receiving the certificate.
Mr. Nair said the government should review all works carried out under the scheme as there were allegations of violation of key guidelines issued by the National River Conservation Directorate.
Mr. Nair further called upon the government to ensure effective utilisation of the grant-in-aid received from the Centre.
