Pamba River

Pampa River
Pampa River
	Malayalam)
Location
Country	India
State	Kerala
District	Pathanamthitta, Alappuzha
Physical characteristics
Source
• location	Pulachimala
• elevation	1,650 m (5,410 ft)
Vembanad Lake & Thottappally Spillway
Length	176 km (109 mi)
Basin size	2,235 km2 (863 sq mi)
Discharge
• average	109 m3/s (3,800 cu ft/s)

The Pamba River (also called Pampa River) is the longest river in the Indian state of

Lord Ayyappa

, is located on the banks of the river Pamba.

The River Pamba enriches the lands of

Alappuzha district and few areas of Kottayam

Course

The Pamba originates at Pulachimalai hill in the

Achankovil River basin.^{[citation needed}

]

The river flows through

Vembanad Lake, while another branch flows directly via Karuvatta into Thottappally Spillway

.

One branch of Pamba called Varattar flows from Arattupuzha/Puthenkavu and along Edanad, Othera, Thiruvanvandoor, Eramallikkara and flows into Manimala River at Kallumkal East side.

Another branch of Pamba flows from

Perunthenaruvi is the major waterfall in Pamba river between vechoochira and Athikkayam.^[1]

Topography of the basin, reservoirs and command area

Like all the river basins in Kerala, the Pamba basin also can be divided into three natural zones based on elevation, consisting of low land or seaboard, midland and high land. The coast for a short distance along the borders of lakes is flat, retreating from it the surface roughens up into slopes which gradually combine and swell into mountains on the east. The low land area along sea coast is generally swampy and liable to be flooded during monsoon inundation. The plains/midlands succeed low land in gentle ascents and valleys interspersed with isolated low hills. The high land on the eastern portion is broken by long spurs, dense forests, extensive ravines and tangled jungles. Towering above all their slopes are Western Ghats that form eastern boundary of the basins.^{[citation needed]}

Endangered state

Due to drought and a lack of conservation and protection by the government, the Pampa River has shrunk to a stream and is totally dry in many places. Nearby wells have also dried up. Water for farming, such as paddy fields, is scarce. Experts are calling for governmental awareness of the dire situation and the need to rein in development that is destroying the environment.^[2]

The Kerala High Court has initiated steps to control the pollution of the river from the practice of some visitors to Sabarimala who throw their clothes into it.

holy river. At a broader level, this project aims to spread the message of cleanliness and greenness beyond Pamba and Sabarimala.^[4]