“Officials Will Be Held Liable If Periyar River Pollution Persists”: Kerala High Court

The Kerala High Court has issued a firm warning to officials over pollution in the Periyar River, acting on a complaint by Democratic Social Justice Party President KSR Menon and others.

The court stated that officials would be personally liable if they failed to implement measures to prevent further contamination.

A division bench comprising Justices Devan Ramachandran and M.B. Snehalatha highlighted that negligence by responsible authorities would lead to serious repercussions. Despite receiving several reports in the past month, the court observed that no concrete actions had been taken to tackle the pollution.

The hearing was adjourned to January 10 for the Chief Justice to decide on the consolidation of similar pleas.

The court criticized the authorities for their inability to present a clear strategy to curb pollution in the river. It underscored the importance of ensuring that Periyar remains unpolluted and warned that any lapse in duty would be strictly dealt with. “Periyar is the main source of drinking water for Kochi city, and safeguarding its purity is essential to public health,” the court noted.

The petitions were filed in response to a mass fish kill in the Periyar River, which was attributed to severe pollution, including industrial waste dumping along the riverbanks. This incident brought renewed attention to the longstanding environmental issues affecting the river.

Periyar, Kerala’s longest river, has been grappling with severe pollution for years. Environmental groups and local communities have repeatedly raised concerns, but effective intervention by the Pollution Control Board and other agencies has been insufficient. The recurring incidents of water discolouration and large-scale fish deaths underscore the urgent need for decisive action.

Court’s directive aims to hold officials accountable and ensure stricter enforcement of pollution control measures.

The outcome of the next hearing is keenly awaited, with hopes that concrete steps will finally be taken to protect this crucial water resource.

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