The lake in Periyar Tiger Reserve in Thekkady, near Kumily, in Idukki.
\| Photo Credit: (File photo) SPECIAL ARRANGEMENT

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.

“Once the plant is installed at Anavachal, we can prevent the wastewater from mixing into the lake. Without a proper wastewater treatment system, this issue cannot be resolved,” he said. “The water in the Periyar lake is also used as drinking water for the Kumily and Chakkupallom panchayats in the district. The project will be implemented with the support of various departments,” said Mr. Varghese.

Untreated water

The president further added that the panchayat will no longer allow tourism establishments to release untreated wastewater into the canal. “The establishments must arrange their own waste treatment systems; otherwise, the local body will issue notices to shut them down,” he said.

Kumily panchayat secretary R. Ashok Kumar said that without a proper CSTP, the panchayat cannot manage local sanitation effectively.

“Discussions to set up a CSTP in Kumily have been ongoing since 2014. Without a proper plant, it will hamper tourism development in Thekkady. In addition, the discharge of wastewater into the Periyar lake threatens the wildlife in the PTR,” said Mr. Ashok Kumar, adding that the district administration has offered its full support for the project.

Sources noted that neighbouring Tamil Nadu also draws water from the Mullaperiyar dam to supply drinking water to its border districts.

Published - July 21, 2026 08:31 pm IST