Periyar River Is A Fountain Of Life, Must Be Preserved For Future Generations: Kerala HC Calls For Chief Secy's Report On River Basin Management

The High Court on Friday directed the Chief Secretary of the State of Kerala to submit a comprehensive report detailing action taken for the implementation of “the Integrated River Basin Management Plan”.

The Bench comprising Justice Devan Ramachandran and Justice M B Snehalatha gave the orders while hearing cases filed by Periyar Malineekara Samithi and others to curb the pollution in Periyar River.

The Court observed: “The river Periyar is the main drinking water source for many areas including the city of Kochi and its pollution will cause cataclysmic consequences to the citizens. Not merely in the short term but also in the long term. We are saying this only to remind the authorities that the very fountain of life which Periyar is should be maintained in such purity for the generations to come. And any insouciance in maintaining it should lead to necessary consequences against specified authorities / officers.”

In its earlier orders, the court has recommended the Constitution of a unified authority for river Periyar.

The government pleader submitted that the government has notified the “Integrated River Basin management Plan” which has several committees under it, including an apex committee which is chaired by the Chief Minister of Kerala.

The government pleader asserted that the Management Plan will take care of river Periyar along with the other rivers in Kerala and assured that all the issues with respect to Periyar as notified by the Pollution Control Board and the High level Committee constituted by the Court, Pollution Control Board etc, will be addressed and resolved effectively.

Alex Varghese, counsel for one of the petitioners, brought to the notice of the Court the problems faced by citizens due to the pollution at the “Kuzhikandam Thodu” of the Periyar river. The government pleader responded that this can be cleaned under the Management Plan, and the modalities of the same will be worked out by the committees under it.

The court noted that it understands that the government of Kerala has put up this Management plan to ensure a high level of governance for the rivers. “If this would bring out any change, we would certainly welcome it”, the court added.

The cases are posted after a month for the comprehensive report from the Chief Secretary of State of Kerala.

Case Title - Periyar Malineekarana Virudha Samithi v State of Kerala and connected cases

Case No - WP(C) 996/ 2012