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Order of the National Green Tribunal regarding pollution of River Thirur Ponnai, Malappuram District, Kerala, 17/07/2019

  • 17/07/2019

Order of the National Green Tribunal in the matter of Alavikutty Vs State of Kerala & Others dated 17/07/2019 regarding pollution of River Thirur Ponnai, Malappuram District, Kerala. NGT accepts the action plan for mitigation of pollution filed by the Kerala State Pollution Control Board and directs implementation with strict adherence to the time line and cost projected in the report.

An interim report from Justice A. V. Ramkrishan Pillai, Chairman, State Level Monitoring Committee, Kerala was also submitted before the Tribunal, where it has been mentioned that Thirur River cannot be analysed as an independent river as it joins Bharathappuzha naturally on the south side and Poorappuzha artificially through an Inland Navigation Canal namely Thanoor Kottayi canal. The report further informed that Thirur river is polluted by the discharge of domestic, industrial and trade waste and the degree of pollution is maximum at the downstream of Thalakkadathoor.

NGT directs the State Pollution Control Board (SPCB) and the Thirur Municipality to take into consideration the interim report of Justice A. V. Ramkrishan Pillai and, if necessary, this aspect be addressed as an addendum to the action plan accepted by the Tribunal. SPCB would submit an action taken report within three months, which should contain "the quantifiable and qualitative indicators to ascertain the progress made during the period."