KOLLAM: Setting a model of environmental protection, a group of youths in Kollam has taken up an initiative to clean the polluted Pallikkalar River as a reply to a challenge on social media.
One the first day, they have collected a boat-full of plastic waste and discarded items from the river as part of 'Clean Pallikkalar' challenge.
The youths have volunteered to take up the challenge seeing the sad plight of the river which gets polluted on a daily basis, Sumanjith Misha, Kerala youth promotion council chairman, told DC.
"At first the challenge received huge support on Facebook, but only in the form of likes and shares.
Nobody was willing to get their feet wet. Then the challenge was taken up by a group of youths who bear the brunt of pollution," Mr. Misha added.
The challenge was jointly initiated by Mr. Misha and Manjukkuttan, secretary of Pallikkalar samrakshana samiti by collecting plastic waste from the river in a row boat along with a group of youths who made it a vibrant event declaring solidarity with the nature.
In the first phase, the team cleaned Thevarkavu temple to Kannetti area of the river in Karunagappally. On the first day itself, they could collect plastic waste from the water that could literally fill a row boat.
"The slaughterhouse waste dumped in the river in plastic sacs troubled us the most during our cleaning drive," Mr. Misha added.
The team that cleaned the River on the first day also included Muhammad Rafi, Shaine, Indrajith, and Sijo.
The Pallikkalar River originates from Kodumon in Pathanamthitta and ends at Kannetti Lake in Karunagappally spanning over 42 kilometers.
