Kerala - Kochi   

Meeting to hold discussion on Periyar contamination

Special Correspondent

Achuthanandan sees the condition of the river

KOCHI: Chief Minister V.S. Achuthanandan visited the Periyar at Aluva on Monday afternoon to see the condition of the river, the waters of which have been contaminated following flushing of the Kallarkutty reservoir in Idukki district two weeks ago.

Earlier, the Chief Minister told presspersons that a meeting of officials of the Kerala State Electricity Board (KSEB) and the Kerala Water Authority (KWA) would be called to discuss the issue.

Mr. Achuthanandan was on his way back to the capital from Kozhikode.

De-silting of the reservoir to facilitate work on stepping up power generation from the Kallarkutty project had flushed down tonnes of decomposed bio-waste and sediments into the Periyar. The river water has been discoloured and its taste and smell have changed. More critically, the sediments got into several rural water supply pumping systems downstream.

Water supply

Water supply in many panchayats has been affected. Some pumping stations have suspended pumping for more than 10 days.

The rising heat and the fast drying of many water sources have added to people's woes.

On Sunday, Minister for Public Works T.U. Kuruvilla called an emergency meeting of officials from the electricity Board, water authority and Irrigation Department as well as functionaries of local bodies in the eastern part of Ernakulam district to discuss the crisis.

The Minister announced that Rs. 5,000 would be paid daily to each of the nine panchayats to supply drinking water.

Disaster

The meeting also decided to recommend to the Government to declare 12 panchayat limits disaster-hit areas in view of the contamination of the waters.

To increase inflow into the Periyar and, thus, hasten the process of emptying the bio-waste and sediments into the sea, the authorities have decided to divert water from the Idamalayar reservoir into the river.

One of the two generators at Idamalayar would be used for the diversion. However, this is feared to clog the tail-end of the river and affect water supply in Kochi city and nearby areas.

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