The Pannagam Stream, originating from the Kanam region in Kerala’s Kottayam district, is a lifeline that flows through six panchayats before joining the Meenachil River at Punnathura Kambani Kadavu. Once revered for its ecological richness, agricultural value, and cultural significance rooted in folklore, the stream today faces alarming challenges. Environmental degradation, unregulated pollution, water scarcity, and floods endanger its existence and the lives of its users. We shot the majority of the data and footage in Mattakkara, Chelloli, and Kanam, Kottayam.
The Pannagam stream, once home to vibrant aquatic life and fertile agriculture, now suffers heavy contamination due to garbage dumping, erosion, and poorly built barriers. Floods have become common, damaging homes and crops, especially in Mattakkara, while summers bring extreme water shortages. Though stream cleaning and tourist projects are ongoing, sustained transformation requires more public and government support to restore the stream’s natural flow and ecological balance.
The story of the Pannagam stream is one of neglect, resilience, and hope. What was once a symbol of Kottayam’s natural wealth and community well-being now battles for survival. Yet, through collective action, scientific intervention, and sustained political will, its revival remains possible. Restoring Pannagam is an ecological, social, cultural, and economic obligation for generations of dependent communities.
Copyrights : All the photos and text in this post are the copyright of Govardhan Pilli and Creative Hut Institute of Photography and Film. Their reproduction, full or part, is forbidden without the explicit approval of the rightful owners.
