A division bench comprising Chief Justice AJ Desai and Justice VG Arun ordered the committee to submit a comprehensive report on the matter.
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KERALA: On Monday (10th June): The Kerala High Court directed the formation of an expert committee to study and propose solutions to address the pollution of the Periyar River.
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A division bench comprising Chief Justice AJ Desai and Justice VG Arun ordered the committee to submit a comprehensive report on the matter.
The committee will include the Secretary of the Directorate of Environment and Climate Change, Government of Kerala, the Regional Director of the Central Pollution Control Board in Bangalore, and the Chairman of the Kerala State Pollution Control Board.
“The Committee shall file their report containing the suggestions and action to be taken to curb the pollution in the Periyar river,” the Court instructed.
Periyar, the longest and one of the most crucial rivers in Kerala, is vital for central Kerala, including the commercially significant district of Ernakulam.
The Court recognized the severe impact of industrial effluents on the river’s ecosystem, based on a report and photographs submitted by amicus curiae Ananthakrishnan A Kartha, stating,
“the discharge of industrial effluents into the river is hazardous to human beings, flora, and fauna.”
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The Court also observed that despite directives from the National Green Tribunal (NGT) to clean up the Periyar River, effective measures had not been taken. It noted the failure of government authorities and the committee formed following the NGT’s 2020 order to address the pollution caused by industrial units in the Eloor – Edayar industrial belt.
“Prima facie, we are of the opinion that the Committee constituted pursuant to the order passed by the National Green Tribunal way back in the year 2020 or the Central Pollution Control Board or the Kerala State Pollution Control Board have not taken appropriate steps to curb the pollution in and around Periyar river,” the bench remarked.
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The High Court therefore directed the formation of a new expert committee and mandated that representatives from the petitioners and the amicus curiae participate in site visits to assess the pollution levels around the Periyar River.
The matter is scheduled for further hearing on July 3.
Case Title: Association of Green Action Force v Union of India & Ors and connected cases
