Activists of the Periyar Malineekarana Virudha Samiti staged a peaceful protest at Eloor near here on Wednesday against the alleged failure of the State Pollution Control Board (PCB) in checking increasing incidents of discoloration and fish kill in the Periyar.
They held placards demanding immediate action against those responsible for the pollution of the river. The protest was held near the Pathalam bund. Samiti spokesperson Purushan Eloor said the pollution of the river had worsened, especially after the declaration of the lockdown. Four incidents of fish kills and repeated discoloration of water were reported during the lockdown period, he added.
Mr. Purushan said that a few industrial units had worked in the lockdown period after taking permission from the district administration. The lockdown period was used to dump effluents from units that had worked and remained shut during that phase, he alleged. The police later arrested the activists.
Meanwhile, Samiti representatives blamed PCB officials for not acting against the industrial units responsible for dumping chemical effluents into the river. Board officials said they had collected samples for analysis, and that the results were expected in a few days. The Irrigation Department has to ensure minimum flow in the river to avoid discoloration and fish kill, they said.
