Kochi: The order of the National Green Tribunal (NGT) directing the State Government to deposit Rs 30-cr for the cleaning up of River Periyar will provide the necessary impetus for the authorities concerned to escalate the process of cleaning the river. Speaking to this newspaper Dr. GD Martin, scientist and author of the book “Periyar: Jeevanum Puzhayum Veendedukkam” said the order of the NGT was a welcome step. “I have not seen the order but it will bring the much needed urgency for the detoxification of the river”, he said.
The NGT verdict should be viewed in tandem with the report submitted by the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) and the Supreme Court, he pointed out The report submitted by the CPCB to the NGT had clearly mentioned the pathetic situation prevailing on the banks of the river in Kalamasserry, Eloor, Edayar and other regions dominated by industrial units. The 298-page CPCB report, prepared after making an on the spot assessment by a team constituted on the basis of a directive by NGT, had made scathing remarks about the failure of the units on the banks of the river to set up proper effluent treatment facilities and systematically violating rules and guidelines in this regard.
The CPCB report had also castigated the Kerala State Pollution Control Board for its failure in properly monitoring and taking preventive measures to check the dumping of toxic effluents into the river.The Supreme Court verdict asking authorities to take steps to close down all industrial units without proper effluent treatment systems by the end of June also might have influenced the NGT verdict, Dr. Martin said. The NGT order says the State Government should deposit the Rs 30 cr with the CPCB to implement the environment resources management project intended for cleaning the Kuzhikkandam canal and Ramanthuruth Karinilam.
The project is being implemented under the supervision of the CPCB. The state government will have to incur 60 percent of the cost of the project while the remaining will have to be borne by the Union Government. Green activists in Kochi allege that River Periyar, the longest river in Kerala and the source for drinking water of 40 lakh people in Ernakulam district, had been turned into a toxic waste dump by the industrial units located along the banks of the river dominated by a majority of chemical units.
