Pampa panel gets going after 6 years

Kochi: After over six years since its inception, the Pampa River Basin Authority, formed to conserve the holy river and its basin, is finally set to “go functional” with its office being set up at Aranmula and major activities being initiated to conserve the holy river.

So far, the statutory body had no office or staff or even policies for enabling conservation and cleaning of the third largest river in the state.

“Finally we are being given an office at the Mini Civil Station in Aranmula. Once we get a permanent set up, then employees will be recruited and the functioning will be made smooth,” said Dr George Chackachery, Project Director of the Pampa River Basin Authority.

And the Authority is in the process of carrying out the first major initiative -- a Rs 200 crore project that aims at providing drinking water to Sabarimala and nearby areas.

“The proposal was submitted to the Niti Aayog in the first week of January. Our role is to augment a similar project being done by the Kerala Water Authority. We expect to complete it before the next pilgrimage season upon getting the Central nod,” the official said.

Also, the draft Masterplan for conserving and cleaning up the Pampa will be readied by March.

“As part of the process, we have identified nearly 100 hotspots across 35 panchayats and one municipality along which the river flows where river conservation activities like demarcation of river boundaries, reclamation of lost land and the like will be taken up,” Chackachery said.

Meanwhile, the coliform level in Pampa River touched two lakh MPN/ 100 ml against a desirable 2500 MPN/ 100 ml at the end of the two-month long pilgrimage season.