Sat Feb 22 03:48:45 UTC 2025: ## Dyke Wall, AI System Proposed to Prevent Periyar River Fish Kills
**Kochi, February 22, 2025** – An expert committee report, submitted to the National Green Tribunal (NGT), has recommended a series of measures to prevent future mass fish kills in the Periyar River’s Eloor-Edayar industrial stretch. The recommendations stem from an investigation into a May 2024 incident.
Key proposals include the construction of a dyke wall with a walkway to improve pollution surveillance, a real-time water quality monitoring system for the Pathalam regulator-cum-bridge, and an AI-powered warning system to alert downstream fish farmers before the regulator’s shutters are opened. The report stresses aligning shutter operations with real-time monitoring data.
Further recommendations focus on establishing a coordination committee involving various government departments and local self-governments to regulate the Pathalam regulator; conducting biodiversity assessments and continuous monitoring of the river; evaluating site suitability before licensing aquaculture; and ensuring fair compensation for affected fishermen and farmers.
The report also emphasizes improved control of pesticide and fertilizer use in agriculture, effective sewage treatment mechanisms, and penalizing unregulated discharges from domestic and commercial establishments. Citizen science initiatives are suggested to engage local communities in monitoring efforts. The report was submitted to the NGT’s Southern Bench by the Central Pollution Control Board following a suo motu notice on the fish kill.
First Piper 