KOCHI
Domestic and industrial waste deposits are affecting the water quality of the Periyar and Muvattupuzha rivers, according to a study report.
The study carried out by the Irrigation Department has identified 106 domestic and 15 industrial waste deposit points along the course of the river and its tributaries.
The waste is mainly from the industrial units of FACT, Binani, Sudchemi, CMRL and IRE besides that from Nallathanni tea factory in Munnar, a milk industry unit in Vengoor grama panchayat, and a plywood company in Vazhakkulam grama panchayat, it was reported.
The study, Operation Vahini, was carried out to take stock of the debris, silt and waste in tributaries of the Periyar and Muvattupuzha river for clearing it by the end of April. The floods of 2018 and 2019 and monsoons in 2020 and 2021 had deposited huge quantities of debris, silt, clay and waste in the tributaries, which had reduced the water carrying capacity of these rivers, according to the report.
The silt in the Periyar was estimated to be around 1.21 crore m3 and that of the tributaries at 9.26 lakh m3.
The Periyar river basin has 17 dams of which 15 are under the control of KSEB and two are maintained by the Irrigation Department.
The detailed project report prepared by the department has also specified the status of various points along the river system and the remedial measures to be taken at each site.
Launching the programme, Industries Minister P. Rajeeve suggested that steps for ensuring the ecological flow of Muvattupuzha and Periyar by removing silt, sand and waste from the river system. Small islands have been formed in the system with the growth of weeds, which needs to be removed. Steps for removing the bund in Vaduthala, which impedes the free flow of water shall also be removed, he suggested.
Mayor M. Anilkumar, District Panchayat President Ullas Thomas, Additional Chief Secretary T. K. Jose, District Collector Jafar Malik, Superintending Engineer of the Irrigation Department R. Baji Chandran and Disaster Management Deputy Secretary N. R. Vrinda Devi were among those who attended the programme.
