Action plan sought to protect Pampa

PATHANAMTHITTA: The Kerala State Bio-diversity Board is keen to declare the Pampa river an important biodiversity zone, board chairman R.V. Varma has said.

He was delivering the keynote address at a workshop on ‘biodiversity conservation of Pampa' organised by the Pampa Parirakshana Samiti at the Maramon Retreat Centre at Maramon near Kozhencherry on Thursday.

He said an eco-friendly action plan was the immediate need for biodiversity conservation of the Pampa. The day-long workshop, supported by the board, was aimed at collecting suggestions and proposals from experts as well as mobilising public opinion in this regard.

Mr. Varma said the board would submit a proposal on biodiversity conservation of the Pampa to the government soon.

He said protection of river banks growing indigenous flora should be encouraged. The Biodiversity Board had initiated a programme to monitor fish in all 44 rivers in the State with public participation.

Mr. Varma said the board was of the view that river conservation could be effective and transparent only with the active involvement of the public and local self-government institutions.

Philipose Mar Chrysostum, senior Metropolitan of Mar Thoma Church, inaugurated the workshop. In his address, the Metropolitan lamented the sad state of affairs of the Pampa.

Water in the Pampa, which is regarded as a holy river, has become so polluted that people are even scared to bath in it, he added. Mar Chrysostum stressed the need to protect the river from pollution and degradation without delay.

N.K. Sukumaran Nair, PPS general secretary, Fr. Thomas Peeliyanickal, executive director of the Kuttanad Vikasana Samiti, and K.Sivadasan Nair, MLA, also spoke.

Source: The Hindu, 27-11-2010

More funding for Ganga clean-up

NEW DELHI: States through which the Ganga flows will soon be given additional funding to operate and maintain projects to clean the river and restore its environmental health. However, States lobbied for more aid and free power to those affected by scrapping of hydel projects.

At a meeting of the National Ganga River Basin Authority (NGRBA) headed by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, held on Monday, Uttarakhand Chief Minister Ramesh Pokhriyal demanded that his State be granted 2,000 MW of free power in compensation for scrapped projects.

The NGRBA ratified the decision of the three-man Ministerial committee — comprising Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee, Power Minister Sushil Kumar Shinde and Environment and Forests Minister Jairam Ramesh — to abandon three major hydel projects along the Bhagirathi which runs through the State. The Loharinag Pala, Bhaironghati and Pala Maneri projects were shelved following protests by local communities, environmental activists and religious leaders.

The NGRBA also gave in principle approval to declare the 135-km stretch between Gaumukh and Uttarkashi an eco-sensitive zone. This means no hydel project will be allowed there, according to Mr. Ramesh. Much industrial and developmental activity will also be banned, while the rest will be governed by strictly monitored eco-management plans.

The NGRBA said the Central government would bear 70 per cent of the cost of operating and maintaining projects set up to prevent pollution, clean the river and improve its environmental status, for up to five years. The Centre already funds the cost of setting up these projects.

However, the affected States lobbied for a burden-sharing formula of 90 per cent by the Centre and 10 per cent by States. The Centre said it would consider this request, as well as Uttarakhand's demand for compensatory free power.

By April 2011, the government also expects to finalise a $ 1 billion line of credit from the World Bank for NGRBA projects. Last year the NGRBA approved Rs. 1,400 crore worth of projects.

The meeting also approved a Conservation Action Plan for the Gangetic dolphin, recently declared the national aquatic animal.

“There are less than 2,000 Gangetic dolphins left,” said Mr. Ramesh.

Source: The Hindu, 3 -11-2010

Steps for conservation of Pampa

The Minister was inaugurating the work on the viewers' gallery at the finishing point of the Uthrittathi boat race near Sathram Kadavu on the banks of the Pampa at Aranmula.

He said the Pampa should be free of pollution and organisations like the Palliyoda Seva Sanghom should take a lead role in checking flow of waste generated at kitchens into the river, especially during the annual Vallasadya season.

Mr. Premachandran said the Pampa River Basin Authority meeting held in Thiruvananthapuram recently had drawn up several projects aimed at conservation and rejuvenation of the river.

He said two modern sewage treatment plants would be set up at Pampa and Sannidhanam at an estimate cost of Rs.29.65 crore. Steps had been taken to complete the second phase of the Pampa Action Plan and to avail of the Euro Consultancy Service of the European Union for its implementation, he pointed out.

Being a pilgrim tourism centre, Aranmula should have better basic facilities and the government was spending Rs.28 lakh for the smooth conduct of the annual snakeboat regatta on the Uthrittathi day during Onam festival, the Minister said.

He said a permanent solution would be found to clear the mud banks in the race course between Parappuzha Kadavu and Sathram Kadavu and the irrigation wing of the Water Resources Department would prepare a project for the same soon.

UN aid

Mr. Premachandran said steps would be taken to construct the sewage treatment plant on the banks of the Pampa at Aranmula with financial assistance from the United Nations Development Programme before the next Onam season. He said State government would also make financial contributions, if needed, for its completion in a time-bound manner.

The viewers' gallery would be constructed at an estimated cost of Rs.28 lakh to accommodate 1,500 people.

K.C.Rajagopalan, MLA, presided over the function. K. Sivadasan Nair, MLA;and Palliyoda Seva Sanghom president S. Ramachandrn Pillai were among those who spoke.

Source: The Hindu, 20-8-2010