The three-day kayaking expedition along the Chaliyar river conducted by an adventure water sporting group called Jellyfish turned out to be a huge event attracting the attention of a large number of people in the Malappuram and Kozhikode districts.
Fighting odds
Fifty-odd kayakers from different parts of the country paddled from Nilambur to Beypore, fighting the odds posed by the waters of the Chaliyar and spreading the message of maintaining clean waterbodies.
Symbolic gesture
They collected various pollutants from the river as a symbolic gesture.
“We could not only promote an important sporting activity but also spread the message of conserving the rivers. We don’t have to go to
exotic locations for such thrills. We are projecting our rivers for recreation,” said Kaushiq Kodithodi, who led the kayakers. Women and three children also took part.
Annual event
The response they got from the people of Nilambur, Edavanna, Areekode and Beypore was so enthusing that they said they would make it an annual event.
“It’s good to see activities taking place in our rivers,” said Hameed Ali, an activist from Areekode engaged in the conservation of the Chaliyar.
He said such water sports would bring the much-needed attention of the people to the river.
