More than a year of neglect and carelessness has taken its toll on river Iruvazhinji with garbage, mainly plastic carry bags and bottles, forming an island near Koolimadu where the flow of the river is rather slow. A group of youngsters from Kodiyathur and Chathamangalam grama panchayats along the banks of the river joined hands on Sunday to clear the garbage from the river.
“We just gave out a call on Friday for anyone interested to join us in the mission on Sunday. The response was really surprising,” said K.T. Abdul Nasar, a noted environmentalist and founder of Green Care Mission.
More than 100 volunteers took part in the drive carried out at the junction of Iruvazhinji and Chaliyar rivers at Koottakkadavu in Koolimadu. People’s representatives from both the panchayats too joined them. They ventured into the river in 20 country boats at around 8 a.m. and removed around a truckload of garbage. “We segregated waste right on the bank and sent plastic for recycling. Biodegradable waste was buried on the bank itself,” Mr. Nasar said.
Garbage dumped in Iruvazhinji gets accumulated at Koolimadu every year.
Volunteers from youth organisations of the region such as Ente Swantham Iruvazhinji, Akshara Koolimadu, Vikhaya, Santhwanam, White Guard, Rahul Brigade, Adventure Club, DYFI and Sangamam besides people’s representatives were part of the mission led by environmentalists including Hamid Ali Vazhakkad, who pointed out the danger caused by dumping of plastic in the river, not just for humans but for other organisms too.
