The Hindu : Fish death due to pollution: Dinakaran

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Wednesday, Mar 24, 2004

Kerala

Kerala

Fish death due to pollution: Dinakaran

By Our Staff Reporter

ALAPPUZHA, MARCH 23. The discovery of underwater pipes laid by the McDowel Company, Cherthala, in the Vembanad Lake during the visit of the Chief Minister, A K. Antony, to the area yesterday has given a new twist to the issue of destruction of marine life in the Kattachira area of the lake recently, the Dheevara Sabha leader, V Dinakaran, has said.

Mr. Dinakaran, who organised the fishermen in the area against the pollution of the lake, said the fishermen had earlier raised the apprehension that the company was discharging untreated effluents to the lake through secret outlets.

The discovery of pipes during Mr. Antony's visit proved that their fear was not baseless, Mr Dinakaran said. The Chief Minister visited the area following reports that large numbers of fish were found dead in the Kattachira region of the lake near the factory. ``During the inspection of the authorities, the officials of the company switch on its treatment plant and showed them only the outlets through which the treated effluents were discharged,'' Mr Dinakaran said. But there were other discharge pipes through which untreated effluents were discharged, Mr Dinakaran said.

He said it was near the area from where the fishermen discovered ``secret'' pipes that the fishes were found dead. Large number of fishes had been found dead in the area in February also. The apprehension of ``secret'' pipes from the company to the lake had been raised by fishermen earlier too, but the recent had proved that their fears true, Mr. Dinakaran said.

Mr. Dinakaran said the Alappuzha district officials of the Kerala State Pollution Control Board were trying to protect the company. The present discovery of dead fish had proved that they had been ineffective in checking pollution, he said.

Meanwhile, top sources in the Fisheries Department said the report submitted by experts of Panangad Fisheries College and Central Institute of Fisheries Technology (CIFT), Kochi, on the pollution of the lake had noted that the effluents discharged from the company had contributed to the destruction of marine life in the lake in the Kattachira region.

The reports were submitted separately to the Government. The experts had taken the samples of the effluents when the treatment plant was switched on and switched off. The experts had taken water samples from various parts of the lake also. According to sources, the experts had found that the percentage of dissolved oxygen in the lake where the fishes were found dead was below the quantity required for the existence of marine life. This was because of pollution, sources said.

Meanwhile, the company, in a statement, said it was not polluting the lake. Effluents were discharged into the lake after proper treatment. It added that the new treatment plant of the company being built at a cost of Rs. 2.5 crores would be commissioned in May this year.

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