offer to install Common Sewage Treatment Plants (STPs) in Municipalities along Periyar Three years after it was suggested under the Periyar Action Plan, it is still in cold storage.
As per the plan proposed by the Kerala State Pollution Control Board (PCB) in collaboration with other government departments and agencies, municipal bodies were to set up STPs. Studies have found dangerous levels of faecal coliform in the river. Illegal discharge of sewage was mostly from households and commercial establishments, which were found to be releasing it into drains and canals leading to the river.
Aluva, Kalamassery and Elur municipalities were required to set up STPs by December 2019 as per the initial plan. Local bodies were also directed to identify establishments discharging sewage into drains. No concrete action was taken by the respective councils to identify the land and launch a funding plan to turn the project into reality.
“We have not yet started the project of setting up the STP. But steps have been taken to set up common waste water treatment plants,” said MO John, chairman of Aluva Municipality. Eloor Municipality chairman AD Sujil cited non-availability of land as a major impediment to setting up a common STP. “The municipality does not have any land parcels. We are trying to take the land on lease to take the project forward.
In 2019, 10 drains joining Periyar from Elur, Aluva and Kalamassery were found to have high biochemical oxygen demand (BOD), an indicator of biological pollution. The drinking water source must have a BOD of 2 mg/l or less.
The level of faecal coliform at monitoring stations was found to be significantly higher than the limit of 500 mpn (most likely number)/100 ml of water for drinking water source. At one monitoring station in Aluva, the number of faecal coliforms averaged 1,13,000 and at most other monitoring stations exceeded 2,000.