Kerala considering setting up Periyar River Basin Authority

Kochi, Mar 17 (UNI) The Kerala Government was considering a proposal to set up a Periyar River Basin Authority for the proper upkeep of the river, which is the lifeline of Central Kerala, State Water Resources Minister N K Premachandran said today.

Talking to newspersons here after a meeting here to review the situation in the river following the discharge of a large volume of muddy water with the opening of the Kallarkutty dam shutters, Mr Premachandran said it had been decided that in future, the dam shutters would be opened only during the monsoon.

The meeting noted that the pollution levels in the river had come down.

The minister said it was also decided at the meeting that local authorities such as the district collector and bodies such as the Kerala Water Authority and the Pollution Control Board would be informed one month prior to the opening of the dam shutters.

With loads of sand being deposited in the Kallarkutty dam, the Kerala State Electricity Board had been asked to find out scientific ways to clean it.

Talking about the problem of contaminated drinking water being supplied in certain areas of Ernakulam, the minister said the Kerala Water Authority had been directed to urgently submit a cost estimate for replacing and repairing water pipes running close to sewage pipes.

Among those, who attended the meeting were State Public Works Minister T U Kuruvilla, Fisheries Minister S Sarma, MLAs K V Thomas, K Babu, Ibrahim Kunju, B D Satheesan, M J Jacob, M P Purushothaman, Saju Paul and Babu Paul, Kerala Pollution Control Board Chairman Rajamohan and Ernakulam District Collector A P M Mohammad Haneesh.

UNI