Pollution of Adavikodu channel, an irrigation canal of river Godavari, Andhra Pradesh: APPCB report to the NGT
Sewage from houses of Srungavruksham village, Palakoderu mandal, West Godavari district is polluting Adavikodu channel according to a report filed by the Andhra Pradesh Pollution Control Board (APPCB).
The APPCB officials identified some fish/prawn culture ponds either side of the Tundurru branch channel of Adavikodu channel from Srungavruksham village to Tunduru village. It was observed that there is no separate drainage system to divert the pond discharges after cultivation and the discharges of fish/prawn ponds are joined into Tundurru branch channel of Adavikodu channel by inserted pipes.
Some of the remedial measures recommended included a letter addressed to the Panchayat Secretary, Srungavruksham village on October 30, 2023 to cover the village under Swachh Bharat and Open Defecation Free Schemes of government of India and government of Andhra Pradesh.
The Panchayat Raj Department should be directed to isolate the sewage contamination to drinking water sources. The Rural Water Supply (RWS) under Panchayat Raj Department should provide a safe pipeline network for withdrawal of drinking water to supply to the public after treatment under Jal Jeevan Mission.
Further, the panchayat secretary of the village should take necessary action such as stipulating that there shall not be allowed discharge of sewage into nearby abutting canals while issuing panchayat permission for new construction of houses. The existing sewage discharge pipelines should be routed to septic tanks as a preventive measure, were some of the other remedial measures recommended by the APPCB, November 9, 2023.
Thota Ganga Raju from Tundurru village, West Godavari district in his application before the NGT complained about the water pollution of Adavikodu channel due to discharges of sewage and toilet waste of Srungavruksham gram panchayat through irrigation field pipe no 10 and illegal fish/prawn culture water.