The Hindu : Kerala / Pathanamthitta News : Call to initiate steps to save river systems

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Wednesday, Feb 23, 2005

Kerala

Kerala - Pathanamthitta

Call to initiate steps to save river systems

By Our Staff Reporter

PATHANAMTHITTA, FEB. 22. The Viswadarshanam Centre for Humanity and Nature at Nariyapuram, near here, has called upon the Government to take effective steps for the conservation of various river systems in the State.

In a statement here today, the Viswadarshanam director, Umeshbabu, said that excessive human intervention has led to serious degradation of the rivers and forests in the State over the past few decades.

He has alleged that the sand beds in our rivers have become a thing of the past due to indiscriminate sand quarrying from the riverbed over the past few decades.

Rampant and unscientific exploitation of the natural resources has done irreparable damage to the environment. Felling of trees in the Western Ghats have led to soil erosion and related environmental problems, he alleged.

He also alleged that organised encroachment of forest land in different parts of the State has become an order of the day owing to the alleged "lethargic'' attitude of the Government machinery towards it.

Mr. Umeshbabu alleged that the organisers of various religious conventions on the sand bed of rivers in Central Travancore too were found to have been blatantly flouting the river conservation norms.

He said that it was high time the Government took pragmatic measures on a war-footing to save the rivers such Pampa, Manimala and Achenkoil, which were being choked due to unchecked and excessive human intervention.

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Call to initiate steps to save river systems

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