Pampa River Action Plan gets a new lease of life

T. Nandakumar, Thiruvananthapuram
The Hindu, April 1, 2016

The Pampa River Action Plan for pollution abatement and conservation of the river basin has received a fresh lease of life, with the Ministry of Environment, Forests and Climate Change sanctioning the release of grant-in-aid of Rs.5 crore.

The aid was sanctioned on March 28 after the Ministry approved the utilisation certificate submitted by the State on work taken up under the scheme in the last 12 years.

However, the Central share of the project was slashed from 70 per cent to 50 per cent on directions from the Ministry of Finance.

Officials said the release of money signalled the Centre’s willingness to commit more funds for the ambitious scheme. Incidentally, the failure to submit the utilisation certificate in time had resulted in reduced flow of funds from the Ministry, eventually leading to allegations that the State had failed to tap the Centre for assistance.

The Ministry had sought clarifications from the State after noticing discrepancies in the initial utilisation certificate submitted in 2014 and the failure to furnish the expenditure statement.

Sanctioned in 2003, the Pampa Action Plan was allotted Rs.18.45 crore on a 70:30 cost-sharing basis between the Centre and the State. Of the Central share of Rs.12.92 crore, an amount of Rs.2.75 crore was released.

The project includes construction of a sewerage system and sewage treatment plants, bathing ghats and community toilets at Pampa and Sabarimala to control pollution of the river, primarily caused by the influx of pilgrims during the festival season.

Hailing the settlement of accounts since 2003, Pampa River Basin Authority Project Director George Chackacherry said the fresh tranche of funds would be used for upgrading the sewage treatment plant at Pampa and constructing connection drains.

The authority has prepared a Rs.200-crore master plan to enhance pilgrim amenities at Sabarimala and control pollution of the river. The proposal is awaiting clearance from NITI Ayog.