Kerala - Kochi   

`Water discolouration not due to effluent discharge'

Staff Reporter

Surveillance to be stepped up along the Periyar

KOCHI: The Kerala State Pollution Control Board has ruled out industrial effluent discharge as the reason behind the discolouration of the Periyar waters. Sample tests conducted by a team of the board's environment surveillance centre at Eloor have confirmed that pH and turbidity levels were normal. "There is nothing to fear," said environmental engineer D. Chitrakumari.

She said pH was above 6 in the samples tested at the board's laboratory. "The discolouration will remain for a few more days. Turbidity levels were also normal," she said.

Discolouration of the water had triggered doubts of yet another industrial effluent discharge into the river. The fishkill reported at Amanthuruthu paddy field in Eloor fuelled fears of toxic discharge from industrial units in Eloor.

Chief Environmental Engineer at the Regional Office of the Pollution Control Board Abdurahman said that the discolouration and turbidity were due to the release of water following the opening of the shutters of Kuriyarkutty Dam. He said the turbidity found in the water could be removed by proper treatment.

Ms. Chitrakumari said the discolouration could have occurred due to the discharge of silt from Kuriyarkutty. "We travelled to the upstream of the river to track the exact source. Local residents told us about an increase in water discharge during the last two days," she said.

Chairman of the Environment Sentinel group at Eloor G. Madhu said that surveillance along the riverside would be intensified in the coming days. "The board has taken water samples to ascertain the reason behind the discolouration," he said. Ms. Chitrakumari said sample tests would continue as part of the monitoring carried by out the environment surveillance centre at Eloor.

The quality wing of the Kerala Water Authority at Aluva on Thursday reported that pH and turbidity levels were normal in the water samples. Assistant Engineer of Quality Control wing Santhoshkumar said that pH level recorded 6.78 on Thursday while the turbidity level touched 4.5. "Both the levels were in the acceptable limits. The turbidity in the river was 13.7.

It came down to 4.5 after the treatment process being carried out at the Aluva plant," he said.

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