KOZHIKODE: An expert team led by scientists from the Centre for Water Resources and Management (CWRDM) on Monday collected samples from river Chaliyar that had turned deep green in Areekode with suspected presence of blue-green algae. They took three samples of river water and one from the pumping station of Kerala Water Authority (KWA) there. "Lab result can only confirm if it's toxic. The colour change is in four to five kilometres in Areekode-Pathanapuram-Moorknad stretch," said CWRDM scientist Dr Deepu S.
They instructed the Areekode and Mavoor grama panchayats to restrict people and animals directly coming into contact with the river. "In some areas, there is only colour change, and in certain areas, the foul smell has been emanating. There is a possibility of fishes dying," he said. Following the visit, a meeting at Areekode GP office decided to alert the district administration.
However, experts advised continuing pumping as the water goes out for distribution in Malappuram and Kozhikode districts after sufficient filtration. National Centre for Diseases Control (NCDC) Kozhikode joint director Dr K. Raghu, health inspectors C. Hussain and P. Unnikrishnan, Areekode panchayat president Muneera Ambayathinkal and others were present. Last year, blue-green algae presence was detected in the same river at Edavanna in Malappuram.
