The State Level Monitoring Committee (SLMC) on Solid Waste Management has reported several instances of illegal discharge of effluents and pollutants into the Periyar.
SLMC Chairman A.V. Ramakrishna Pillai had visited a few of these sources to ascertain the extent of pollution, as he was not satisfied with the response of the State Pollution Control Board (PCB) on the violations.
A drainage with little idea about its origin was found at the rear side of a bonemeal unit at Edayar. It was filled with septic waste, sewage, and other effluents and was suspected to be leading to the upstream of the river. A pipe was seen near the irrigation canal connecting the river and Chakkarachal paddy field. Its mouth was found opening into the river. Reddish and orange coloured thick water was seen flowing into the river through the pipe, said the SLMC report which was filed before the National Green Tribunal (NGT).
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“Here it is relevant to note that at the other end of the paddy field, no source of water was seen flowing through this pipe. The intelligent deduction that can be made here is that underground pipes are laid starting from some industrial units, which ultimately discharge industrial waste illegally to the river through this pipeline. However, correlation is required through further investigation,” it added.
The SLMC chief found a drainage near another bonemeal unit. Local residents informed him that septic and sewage effluents were often pumped into the drain, and they ultimately reached the river. An illegal drainage was also found for alleged dumping of waste from a steel recycling unit. The committee received complaints from local residents about a lorry that was found dumping untreated effluents into the river. A pump set and hose were seen near the waterbody. The vehicle was seized by the police from the premises of a fish and chicken meal manufacturing unit.