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The Pambar Project

 

Pambar shola is the forest that fills the ravine below the village of Vattakanal. It is in its 25th year of recovery from severe degadation and is fully protected by the people of Vattakanal. Since 1991 thousands of native Shola trees have been successfully planted.

 

Two major problems for the Shola remain. The first being unrestrained tourism at the top of the Shola. The second is rubbish being swept into the Shola along the Pambar stream during heavy rain.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

This rubbish has its origins in the upper catchment areas of the streams,

revenue lands with a growing number of households in Observatory, Pambarpuram, Fairy Falls road and Green Valley View. 

 

Inadequate infrastructure for collecting rubbish is the main problem and a shortage of sweepers in this large area. Open dumps are common among all the commnities along the Pambar stream. We hope this will be corrected in due time. Every community dump should be replaced with a bin.

 

The Jim Carmem Initiative

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Jim Carmen’s parents lived and worked at the Kodaikanal International School for many years and both their sons studied in the school.

Sadly, Jim died very unexpectedly from a possible aneurism two years ago and the family decided that a memorial would be important as a memory to him. His love was fresh water streams and trout fishing and so the idea of cleaning a stream was the first thought as trout no longer live in these waters and the pollutants caused by garbage would not allow most living organisms to continue to exist. Thus the work that is being undertaken at the moment is very important for not only the Pambar stream but also for water progressing down through the sholas to the Palar dam and the town of Palani. The memorial will also fund tree planting in Bombay Shola.

 

From the 10th of October three women have been employed by the "Jim Carmem Initiative" to keep the Pambar stream free of rubbish. Money from the American sponsors will pay for their salaries. Part of their cleaning regime will be to persuade habitual "lazy litterers" to bin it. They will be assisted by the continuing voluntary efforts of the community, especially that of Vattakanal who have a long history of self cleaning in the absense of any official engagement.