4 days ago
Rights panel steps in to address alleged contamination of well water near temple
A solution appears to be in sight to the alleged contamination of well water near the Thiruvarinikkulam Devi Temple during the 10-day-long Nadathurappu festival, attended by thousands each year, thanks to the intervention of State Human Rights Commission Chairperson Alexander Thomas.
The State Pollution Control Board (PCB) and the temple committee office-bearers assured the Commission that the issue of water contamination would be permanently resolved once the new waste treatment plant at the temple becomes operational.
The Commission directed the Sreemoolanagaram panchayat secretary to submit a report after testing a sample of well water from the temple's neighbourhood once the treatment plant becomes operational. The directive was issued on a petition filed by Sujikumar, a resident living around 300 metres from the temple entrance, alleging that the water in his well became polluted during the temple festival.
The Kochi Sub-Collector submitted a report to the Commission, informing that the Kochi Devaswom Board, PCB, and the Sreemoolanagaram panchayat had been instructed to take emergency measures.
The report stated that a wastewater storage tank with a capacity of 6 lakh litres had been constructed. The PCB has directed the temple to use the treated water for agricultural purposes. It also said that the new plant would be permitted to operate only in compliance with the Board's guidelines. The 2026 festival will serve as a full-scale test to assess the plant's efficiency.
The case will be heard next during the Commission's sitting in September. The petitioner, the environmental engineer, and the panchayat secretary have been asked to appear.
