Thamirabarani river crying for attention on World Environment Day
THOOTHUKUDI: The Thamirabarani river continues to be polluted by the untreated sewage and organic waste from the villages on its banks.
As World Environment Day is observed with 'Ecosystem Restoration' as its theme, people have urged the State government to take adequate steps to restore the river's health.
The river had been polluted by the direct discharge of sewage, domestic and solid waste by the local bodies on the banks of the Thamirabarani and its tributaries. The Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) has notified the stretch between Pappankulam to Arumuganeri of the Thamirabarani (running over 80 kilometres) as polluted, and has classified it as Priority-V, which necessitates monitoring of locations exceeding desired water quality of 3mg/l of BOD (biochemical oxygen demand).
According to the action plan published by Tamil Nadu Pollution Control Board (TNPCB) recently, the Murappanadu village, which has a population of 1,556 individuals, directly discharges 54 kilolitres per day (KLD) of untreated sewage into the river near the drinking water pump house.
The report says at least 44.313 MLD (Millions of Litre per Day) of sewage water, including 31.91 MLD from the Tirunelveli Corporation, is being discharged into the river. The Tirunelveli Corporation treats 24.2 MLD of sewage waste, the report claims.
The TNPCB report also affirms that even though 145 industries lie on either side of the river in Thoothukudi district, there has been no discharge of industrial trade effluents into the Thamirabarani. The river runs by 214 industries in Tirunelveli.
In 2019, tests of 27 river water samples revealed that the mineral contents of the water met with standards throughout, but seven samples -- six from Thoothukudi -- did not meet BOD and DO (Dissolved Oxygen) standards. As per the Water Quality Criteria (WQC), to be safe for bathing, the water must have 5 mg/l of DO, less than 500 most probably number/100 ml of Fecal Coliform and 3 mg/l of BOD.
"The water samples collected at Manimutharu (near road bridge), Punnakayal (near fishing harbour), Eral (backside of MSV dumping yard) did not comply with the standards for BOD and DO, whereas Murapanadu, Srivaikuntam, Eral (Cherman temple backside) Authoor did not meet BOD standards," the report mentions.
Across the course of the river, water sample collected at Punnakayal village where the river merge with the river, had reported the highest level of BOD with 18.35 mg/l, which is 6times than that of permissible level.
The report points out that the level of BOD spikes where the domestic sewage flows into the river. Also, the fishing harbor activity at Punnakayal impacts the biological quality of the river, the report says.
It is pertinent to recall that a case to curtail discharge of untreated sewage into river Thamirabarani from the local bodies, is pending with South Zone of National Green Tribunal (NGT) since 2015.
When the case came for hearing at the NGT in February this year, TNPCB reported that the local bodies along the river had proposed to install Sewage Treatment Plants (STP).
"High level of BOD means the location is unfit for even taking baths," says retired professor Dr Murugesan of MS University, adding that the values of faecal coliform are understated.
Commenting on the TNPCB's action plan report, environment activist SP Muthuraman says that the BOD level increases at the tail end of the river at Thoothukudi, because of the discharge of untreated sewage upstream in Tirunelveli district.
Thamirabarani Executive Engineer Annadurai says that the local bodies along the river have been urged to install Sewage Treatment Plants for recycling the waste water at the earliest. The sewage shall be discharged only after treating, he claims.
However, Muthuraman strongly objects to the proposals of discharging treated sewage into the river.
Muthalankurichi Kamarasu, a petitioner in Madurai Bench of Madras High Court seeking direction to control sewage inflow, urged the TNPCB to conduct further inspections in Thoothukudi to ensure compliance with the Water Quality Criteria.