THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: A panel of MLAs has recommended that a branch of Pampa river may be created artificially for use by Sabarimala devotees as well as to ban chemical-sindhoor as part of reducing pollution.
The Assembly panel on environment chaired by CPI MLA Mullakara Ratnakaran tabled its 15th report in the house on Wednesday.
According to the report, a branch of Ganga was created at Haridwar for Ganga Aaarti ritual. Similarly a branch of Pampa could be created for the Sabarimala pilgrims. The water from the branch could rejoin the main river after purification. Thus pollution of Pampa could be reduced.
The panel also pointed out that chemical sindhoor being used during the Pettathullal ritual at Sabarimala as well the 'Irumudikettu' of devotees contained high-level of metal. Hence it posed serious environmental hazard. So it should be replaced with bio-sindhoor, which is quite costly.
The panel also recommended that non-polluting vehicles like electric vehicles should only be used beyond Nilakkal.
