KOCHI: Restoration of the Periyar is gaining momentum with environmental committees and agencies suggesting a round-the-clock monitoring mechanism to save the river.

In its report submitted to the Supreme Court Monitoring Committee (SCMC) on Hazardous Wastes, the Local Area Environment Committee has recommended that the Kerala State Pollution Control Board should set up a permanent laboratory for monitoring water quality in the river.

The Committee has found 11.25 cents of land near Eloor ferry for the project. According to a report prepared by the environment committee, the Tahsildar and village officer concerned have submitted their recommendations for allotting the land in favour of the State Pollution Control Board. This process is in the final stage.

The idea for setting up a permanent monitoring mechanism is modelled on the lines of the river authority envisaged in the Periyar River Action Plan. According to the Action Plan, the authority will conduct regular monitoring in the Periyar River. It will suggest measures to improve the quality of the river.

Ecological status

The authority will do regular research on the ecological status of the river.

It will coordinate the activities of various departments, NGOs and voluntary organisations.

It will undertake maintenance of embankments and suggest measures for further improvement of the riverbanks.

The Action Plan had recommended that a chairman who will be directly appointed by the Government should head the authority. A board of members will monitor the activities of the authority.

The board will consist of peoples representatives, environmentalists, NGOs, voluntary organisations, representatives from the Department of Science and Technology, Forest Department, legal sector, media, factories, agriculture, irrigation and land use board, mining and geology, local bodies, district administration, tourism department, the Kerala State Pollution Control Board and the Kerala State Electricity Board. All policies related to the functioning of the authority will be vested with the board.

The report submitted to the Supreme Court Committee has recommended that regular air monitoring should be conducted in Eloor and Edayar.

It says that the Pollution Control Board had not carried out air monitoring properly in the region.

Air quality

The report has suggested that ambient air quality monitoring should be conducted in view of the frequent incidents of fugitive emission in the Eloor and Edayar industrial belt.

The Environment Committee has urged the Pollution Control Board to utilise the services of the mobile ambient air monitoring system in Eloor and Edayar.

The unit has been lying idle for last several months after it developed technical problems.

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