Centre offers to pitch in for Pampa river clean-up

KOZHIKODE: Sabarimala, where Prime Minister Narendra Modi plans to visit in the near future,  will get a facelift with the centre deciding to  clean  up the  Pampa river and the surroundings of the Sabarimala temple.

Based on a direction from the centre,  the Pampa River Basin Authority has prepared a  Rs 200-crore master plan  to increase the pilgrim amenities at Sabarimala and  control the pollution of the river and the temple surroundings.

“This project will be implemented immediately with central grant.  Our proposal would be submitted at the end of this month,” Dr. George Chakachery, project director of  the authority, told Deccan Chronicle.

This  is in addition to the Pampa River Action Plan, which is aimed at cleaning up and conservation of the river basin. This has been a non-starter so far as the subsequent governments had not paid much attention to it.

“The action plan is a long-term one. The centre is keen on the development of the area as it is one of the biggest pilgrim centres in the country. Pilgrims will be given  more facilities so that they stop polluting the surroundings,” he said.

Though the authority is trying to speed up the  conservation work, the state government is offering little help to it.  The authority is still using the resources of the Centre for Water Development and Management (CWRDM). Even after six years of its inception, the authority does not even have an office of its own.

“The proposal for our office at Aranmula  mini civil station will be approved now. We will open our office at a place provided by the tourism department,” Mr George said.