3(R)/K/S/O
Deccan Herald/Bangalore/19/12/07
Neglect of the real problem
By Jayanth Sasi
Avoiding further deforestation and the revival of the Pampa are the immediate need of
the hour. On a long-term basis, the state government needs to conceive an action plan,
which will seriously look into the environmental impacts on the ecologically fragile area.
Sabarimala, the abode of Lord Ayyappa seems to abound with controversies this festival
season also.
With irregularities in the distribution of aravana prasadam and the subsequent vigilance
probe hitting the headlines, environmental issues related to the hill shrine — visited each
year by around five lakh pilgrims from across the country — are again on the back
burner.
The area surrounding the temple has already been converted into a concrete jungle, where
guesthouses and other structures have been constructed haphazardly all around. The
Devaswam Board has destroyed about 55.09 hectares of forestland in the name of
development, as per the reports of the state forest department.
Scientific studies conducted by government agencies have found that landslips and
tremors may occur at Sabarimala because of the extensive concrete flooring at the temple
premises. Though declared as a plastic free zone, one can find plenty of water bottles and
other plastic waste around the sannidhanam, along with the waste dumped by pilgrims.
According to the Kerala State Pollution Control Board, the presence of faecal colliform
bacteria in the Pampa river — which flows adjacent to the temple — is 1,14000 particles
per 100 ml as against the normal presence of 300 particles per 100 ml. Pampa —
considered as a “holy river” by devotees — becomes a virtual dumping ground during the
pilgrim season spanning two and a half months, as devotees carelessly discard plastic
bottles, clothes and food waste into the river.
Filth from sewage tanks also reaches the Pampa as they are opened into one of the
tributaries of the river. More than 3,000 temporary toilets are operational close to the
temple in addition to about 600 permanent toilets.
Surrounded by 18 hills and located about 467 metres above the sea level, the Sabarimala
temple is situated inside the Periyar Tiger Reserve, one of the few safe havens for tigers
in India. Environmentalists point out that as many as 2,000 species of flowering plants —
medicinal and endemic — have been identified in this region. Also, around 63 species of
mammals, some of them endangered like tigers, elephants and lion tailed macaque, live
here. So far, 223 species of birds and 45 species of reptiles including king cobra have
been identified in this area.
Around five years ago, a panel of Kerala Legislature on environment led by
Revolutionary Socialist Party leader A V Thamarakshan had submitted 32 proposals to
the Travancore Devaswam Board (TDB), which administers the temple, to protect
Sabarimala. But none of them were acceptable to the TDB. Due to various reasons, the
first phase of the Pampa action plan, under the National River Conservation programme
has also miserably failed to achieve its target.
It seems nobody is interested in a permanent solution. The previous Kerala UDF
government had chalked out a Sabarimala action plan, meant to convert Sabarimala into a
major pilgrim tourist centre. Based on the capitalist notions of development, this plan, if
implemented, will only lead to cutting of more forests and construction of further
concrete structures.
Newspaper reports reveal that this year, there is a drastic increase in the number of
pilgrims, which means there is every chance for more pollution. Avoiding further
deforestation and the revival of the Pampa are the immediate need of the hour. On a longterm basis, the state government needs to conceive an action plan, which will seriously
look into the environmental impacts on the ecologically fragile area.