An event titled “Come! let us get back to Periyar” was organised here on Sunday to promote continuous and eco-friendly engagement with the Periyar river through water sports and other recreational activities.
It was organised to highlight the indiscriminate dumping of industrial, plastic and other waste into the river. The biggest threat to the river is the heavy metal toxicity and its associated environmental degradation.
Justice Thottathil B. Radhakrishnan emphasised “right to live” as enunciated in the Constitution as a fundamental right of every human being, animal and plant. He exhorted people to have a mental and spiritual connect with nature.
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The idea of the campaign is to encourage green enterprises and green tourism and to create jobs for local youngsters as guards, trainers and guides. The programme will be followed up every month and eventually every week. Efforts are under way to take out water marathons and rallies from the river.
A “jalaghoshayatra” was flagged off by Suresh Gopi, MP. Environmental activist C.R. Neelakandan, KMRL’s finance director Abraham Oomman and actor Amala Paul were among those who participated in Sunday’s event.