Do not dump clothes, flowers in river at Papanasam: Collector

TIRUNELVELI

Cleaning of the Tamirabharani at Papanasam, the first spot where the perennial river touches the ground after flowing along the Western Ghats, commenced on Tuesday as part of ‘World Water Day’.

 Inaugurating the exercise, District Collector V. Vishnu held a meeting with the traders of Papanasam, priests of Sri Papanasa Swami Temple and the volunteers to solicit their opinions on saving the river being seriously polluted by the devotees, who discord everyday their clothes and the flowers, all weighing over a tonne in the river after offering prayers in the shrine on the banks of the Tamirabharani with the belief that their sins would get washed off in the water as they take holy dip in the river.

 Addressing the meeting, Mr. Vishnu said the Tamirabharani, which created a world-famous civilization 3000-years ago in the district, was unfortunately getting polluted badly as it touches the ground at Papanasam after traversing the Western Ghats due to the clothes and the flowers being dumped in the river. The Tamirabharani that was beginning its journey on the plains at Papanasam should be protected from all sorts of pollution.

 “While the priests should request the devotees not to discard their clothes and the flowers in the river as a mark of washing off their sins, the traders of Papanasam should strictly avoid using use-and-throw plastics, which is also seriously polluting the river and the soil. Even though all these practices have been banned, it is still going on to pollute the river, which is quenching the thirst of millions of people living in four southern districts. Hence, the citizens of Papanasam should vow to protect the river at its ‘first point’ so that we can encourage others to keep the river clean up to the estuary at Punnaikaayal, 122 Km away from here,” Mr. Vishnu appealed.

 The Collector also assured the traders, volunteers and the priests that their suggestions would be translated into action to save the river from pollution.

 Along with the police personnel, forest department officials, volunteers and the students, an awareness rally, competitions and cultural events on ‘Clean Tamirabharani – Pride of Tirunelveli’ were organized.