Panmana Village in Chavara Block Panchayat is a catastrophe of enormous proportions in the making. Untreated radioactive and acidic effluents are discharged within a radius of 10 km around KMML factory in Panmana Village. The waste water discharged by the company was found polluting natural water bodies before reaching the sea. Huge deliberations are needed as to how we can save Panmana village from becoming a ghost town.
To the north of the factory, (just next to Subramaniyam temple) fallow land was filled with pools of brownish yellow, pungent smelling water, highly acidic liquid. The color change was noticed in the wells and ponds, and it further changes into various hues depending on the release of toxicity especially during rainy seasons..
Paddy fields aka wetlands in the area have become effluent ponds and Fish and other species have been virtually wiped out of the area. In short the biodiversity in the waters surrounding the KMML plant is nill. The pollution, initially confined to the neighborhood of the factory, is assuming menacing proportions. Ashtamudi Lake needs to be saved from this man made disaster (A public sector company) at the earliest.HELP Foundation has noticed the presence of heavy metals in Ashtamudi Lake and has been after the source of the pollution.
