Alappuzha: The Tourism Department has finally come up with a permanent solution to the solid waste disposal issue that has been threatening the very existence of the houseboat industry for quite some time now in the coastal tourism hub of Alappuzha, known for its splendid backwaters.

With no Sewage Treatment Plant (STP) facility currently available, the department is all set to appoint a contracting firm to collect the wastes from the houseboats and effectively dispose of them, thereby negotiating the threat of environmental pollution in the famous backwaters, which attracts millions of domestic and international tourists.

However, the houseboat operators need to cough up annual fees of up to Rs 24,000 based on the category of the houseboats. 

“A contract is being awarded at Rs 15 lakh per annum to collect dry waste and plastic waste from the houseboats and dispose of them. The decision was arrived at a meeting of the MLAs and the district collector the other day,” said Anoop Kumar K, Secretary of the District Tourism Promotion Council (DTPC). 

As per the directions, a houseboat with a two-bedroom facility needs to pay Rs 6000, those with three to five bedrooms Rs 12,000 and the ones having over five bedrooms Rs 24,000. There will be a few waste collection points, including at Punnamada.

The houseboat operators welcomed the solution, especially at a time when the peak season had commenced, but wanted the authorities to take immediate action on the disposal of human wastes. “This is the main issue, though we welcome the initiative to collect and dispose of the solid wastes,” said Jobin J Akkarakalam, Vice President of Kerala Houseboat Owners Federation.

The waste disposal issue has threatened to disrupt the houseboat operations for the past several months after at least three Sewage Treatment Plants (STPs) turned non-functional. With the effective disposal of septage generated from the houseboats proving to be an uphill battle, the State Pollution Control Board (PCB) initiated severe action, imposing hefty fines and revoking licenses, threatening the industry that generates a substantial portion of the state’s tourism revenue.

“Also, we’ve recommended to the Government to hand over the STP owned by us at H Block (Kunnumma) to the houseboat operators since we don’t have the technical know-how. The operators have expressed willingness to take over the STP,” the official added. The DTPC is also mooting to construct a new 35 KLD (Kilo Litres per Day) at Vattakayal.

Earlier, as a temporary solution, barges were deployed to collect sewage directly from houseboats and dispose of the same at the Sewage Treatment Plant (STP) facility in Kumarakom, owned by the Kottayam DTPC.

A section of houseboat operators had warned of protest on October 16, but Tourism Minister P A Mohammed Riyas intervened and assured them of a solution to the issue at the earliest. According to houseboat operators, three STPs at Kumarakom, H Block (Kunnumma), and Vattakayal have turned defunct. The DTPC was forced to close down its STP at H Block in 2019 after the PCB found flaws in its functioning.