Kerala Pollution Control Board seminar, all talk and no action, say activists

KOCHI: Criticism is mounting over the state pollution control board’s scheduled seminar on the ‘condition of Periyar in Eloor industrial belt and future projects for its conservation’ on August 1. Green groups have alleged that the seminar was only an eyewash to divert attention.

“In the last two decades, the PCB has either conducted or sponsored more than 20 workshops, seminars and conferences on the topic which were of no use. Various NGOs, people’s movements and the district administration also had organised similar programmes. More than half a dozen papers and study reports have also been published on the topic. Despite spending a huge amount for conducting seminars and studies, the PCB has failed to implement even a single programme to save the river,” alleged C. R Neelakandhan, president of the People’s Movement for Periyar River Protection.

Since 1977, Cochin University of Science and Technology, has been conducting research on Periyar pollution. Action plans to save the river was prepared in 1981, 1990, 1997, 2000, 2006 and 2007. 

A report on industrial pollution had also been submitted to the Supreme Court by the monitoring committee headed by Dr Claude Alvares which was appointed by the Court.

“Despite having all these study reports, the PCB recently appointed a faculty of the Microbiology and Biochemistry depart-ment at Cusat to conduct a fresh study on pollution. The report submitted by the department will be discussed during the seminar scheduled for August 1. We suspect the mysterious move is part of massive corruption,” said advocate Hareesh Vasude-van, vice president of the organisation.

Green activists urged the PCB not to spend more funds to conduct such programmes and instead focus on implementing effective measures to save Periyar, the only drinking water source for the entire greater Kochi area.