The Hindu : Dumping of garbage leaves rivers polluted

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Saturday, Mar 06, 2004

Kerala

Kerala - Others

Dumping of garbage leaves rivers polluted

By K.P. Pushparaj

KASARAGOD, MARCH 5. Indiscriminate dumping of garbage and other solid wastes into the rivers has increased the pollution level in the rivers flowing through the district. The shrinking of the water table in these rivers during summer has exposed the garbage heaps beneath the water, putting a question mark over the responsibility of the civic authorities in caring, cleansing and maintaining these lifeline rivers.

The majority of the 12 rivers passing through the district remain highly polluted by the dumping of solid wastes into it. Meat wastes from chicken and other meat stalls in and around the city are the main pollutants.

"Action is seldom taken against the polluters," says an environmental activist who had played an active role in the `Save Chandragiri river' project.

The pollution level of the Megral river, flowing through the panchayats of Megral-Puthur and Kumbala, has also been rising. "Not only domestic waste, but garbage from the neighbouring areas also find their resting place in the Megral river. However, the authorities seldom act or respond to even complaints made in this regard," the eco-activist says.

Although the extent of pollution is comparatively low, the other rivers that face imminent danger of being badly polluted include the Bekal and Neeleswaram streams and the Chithari river.

Although an action plan had been chalked out and actively implemented by the authorities to save the Chandragiri river, considered the main water source and longest river flowing through the district, the efforts did not last long. The banks of the Chandragiri river at Chemmanad and Thalankara were the worst hit by the dumping of meat wastes.

The Suvarnagiri river, flowing through the Mangalpady panchayat, also has an alarming level of pollution. The road bridge across the Manjeswaram river is yet another point where anti-social elements find it easy to dump wastes thus polluting the river, it is pointed out. While the Shiriya river receives wastes from Bandiyod and nearby areas, the Kumbala river is the preferred choice for the meat vendors of Kumbala panchayat.

The civic bodies, on their part, have done little to check the dumping of wastes. Installation and implementation of an effective solid waste management system in every panchayat/township is pointed out to be the best way out to save the rivers from further deteriorating.

That apart, proper awareness programmes coupled with stringent measures against those who indulge in garbage dumping in public places and rivers would revitalise the rivers. The panchayats and municipal bodies could well put river cleanliness and maintenance on the top of the agenda of the Total Cleanliness Drive initiated by them.

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Dumping of garbage leaves rivers polluted