Pump sets at sewage station to be replaced

Inflow of raw sewage into Parvathy Puthanar

The Parvathy Puthanar will get partial deliverance from pollution if the Kerala Water Authority succeeds in implementing its proposal to revamp the sewage pumping system at Kuriathy. The sewerage wing of the KWA has conceived a plan to replace three of its pump sets, which has become almost defunct, at Kuriathy so that raw sewage could be pumped uninterruptedly to the Sewage Treatment Plant (STP) at Muttathara.

The frequent failure of the three pumps, established in 2004, at the pumping station has often led to discharge of raw sewage to the Parvathy Puthanar. The inflow of raw sewage from the pumping station to the canal, along with lack of sewerage connectivity on the banks of the Parvathy Puthanar, was considered the main cause of pollution.

The sewage from areas such as Kowdiar, Vellayambalam, Vazhuthacaud, Karamana, Thampanoor, Palayam and Fort reaches the pumping station at Kuriathy and from there it would be pumped to the STP. The frequent failure of the pump sets often prompts the water utility to let out the accumulated raw sewage to the canal.

A senior official with the sewerage wing of the KWA told

The Hindu that the Science and Technology Department in association with several other government departments has drawn up a detailed plan to arrest pollution of the Karamana-Killi river from Thiruvallam to Maruthamkuzhi at a cost of Rs. 13 crore. One of the components of the pollution abetment programme is to plug flow of sewage into Parvathy Puthanar, the official said.

“The sewerage wing has submitted a proposal to upgrade the pumping station by providing flood proof submersible pumps with generators. The procurement of new generation pumps and a generator will cost around Rs 2 crore. The installation of new pumps will certainly help us to stop discharge of raw sewage to the canal,” the official added. Apart from the revamp of the pumping station, the sewerage wing would also soon start a survey to identify households from where sewage was diverted to the canal. The survey would also look into the feasibility of laying a sewer line in the Thallial and Arannoor areas and providing pumping stations in the low-lying areas on the banks of the canal.