Kumily panchayat plans to set up CSTP plant to prevent wastewater from flowing into Periyar lake
The Kumily panchayat in Idukki is planning to construct a sewage treatment plant to stop untreated wastewater from flowing into Periyar lake. This initiative aims to protect local drinking water sources and the wildlife within the Periyar Tiger Reserve.
Why it matters
It addresses the critical intersection of tourism-driven economic growth and environmental conservation in sensitive ecological zones.
Kumily panchayat in Idukki has planned to construct a Compact Sewage Treatment Plant (CSTP) to prevent wastewater from flowing into the Periyar lake in Thekkady. The decision comes after revelations that the run-off is affecting local drinking water projects as well as wildlife in the Periyar Tiger Reserve (PTR).
According to officials, Kumily town serves as the main gateway to the Thekkady tourist destination, housing hundreds of resorts, homestays, and commercial establishments. Without a proper treatment system, untreated wastewater from these establishments flows into a canal that feeds directly into the Periyar lake within the Mullaperiyar reservoir. Local body officials discovered that several businesses were discharging wastewater directly into culverts connected to the canal.
Kumily panchayat president M.M. Varghese said that the panchayat is planning to set up a fully equipped CSTP near Anavachal, where the canal joins the Periyar lake.
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