KOZHIKODE: Chaliyar has become deep green in quite a good area of Areekode suspecting the presence of blue-green algae, of which, some is toxic to humans and animals. The water from the river goes to many supply schemes in towns such as Areekode and Mavoor in the district. Kerala Water Authority (KWA) has collected samples and sent for a lab test.
A team from Kozhikode Centre for Water Resources and Management will visit the site on Monday at the health department's request. "A good area near the bridge at Areekode has turned deep-green. Only the lab test will confirm the algae presence," said A. Hussain, health inspector at Areekode. Last year, blue-green algae presence was detected in the same river at Edavanna in Malappuram. KWA is supplying water to Areekode from the river through a tank set up on its bank after filtering.
But sources said that there was no need to panic, and only those who come in direct contact with the river water like taking a bath should be on alert. "Not all the blue-green algae release toxins into the water. It is not possible to tell which algae do or do not produce toxins simply by their appearance," a CWRDM scientist said. "Laboratory analysis is needed for this. The toxins of blue-green algae can cause the death of animals which come into contact." In August, three cases of cholera outbreak were reported in Mavoor through which Chaliyar flows.
