Sat Nov 30 17:05:03 UTC 2024: ## Environmental Group Challenges Kerala River Pollution Report
**Kochi, Kerala – November 30, 2024** – The Periyar Malineekarana Virudha Samithi (Anti-pollution forum), is challenging the findings of a Kerala High Court-appointed expert committee regarding pollution in the Periyar River. The committee’s October 28th report claimed no detection of heavy metals like mercury, arsenic, and hexavalent chromium in sediment samples collected after a mass fish kill in May.
However, the Samithi disputes this, citing independent lab results from samples collected by the State Pollution Control Board (PCB). These independent tests, conducted at a private lab in Aroor, allegedly revealed significant levels of mercury, arsenic, cadmium, and hexavalent chromium in samples taken near Travancore Cochin Chemicals. The Samithi accuses the PCB of omitting these findings from the report submitted to the court.
The forum further questions the committee’s conclusion that a surge in organic matter caused the fish kill, instead pointing to the presence of heavy metals as the likely culprit. The Chief Environmental Engineer of the Ernakulam PCB was unavailable for comment. The discrepancy highlights a significant conflict in findings regarding the extent and cause of pollution in the Periyar River.
First Piper 