With major commercial centres such as Pala, Erattupetta and Kottayam located along the river, the annual accumulation of waste has become a recurring concern. A community-led effort is now under way to clear the debris from the river and its check dams and keep the water flowing freely during the monsoon.
Cleaning drive
The initiative got under way with a three-day cleaning drive at the Kalariyamakkal Kadavu check dam, where the Pala municipality has joined hands with local residents and voluntary organisations to remove the accumulated waste. Team Emergency, Erattupetta, the Meenachil River Protection Council, the Meenachil Aqua Club and the Meenachil grama panchayat are among those supporting the effort, which is being carried out in phases.Maya Rahul, chairperson of the Pala municipality, said clearing waste from the riverbed was important not only to prevent obstruction to the flow of water but also to protect the quality of the river, which is a major source of drinking water in the region. “The majority of this waste is believed to have accumulated in the floods last month. If the waste is not removed, bacterial levels could increase as it decomposes. Several drinking water projects are located downstream of this check dam,” she said.
The cleaning operation at Kalariyamakkal Kadavu yielded large quantities of plastic waste, much of it dumped in sacks on the riverbed, which was handed over to Clean Kerala Company. The wood logs recovered from the riverbed were handed over to the Meenachil grama panchayat.
The problem, however, extends well beyond the check dam. Floodwaters carry large quantities of plastic and other debris to several points along the river, where they get trapped around bridges and check dams.
According to Eby Immanuel, secretary of the Meenachil River Protection Council, the accumulated waste needs to be cleared in phases to prevent obstruction to the river’s flow. “Following the floods last month, considerable quantities of waste accumulated in the Erattupetta area, which has already been removed by the municipality. However, there are several other points downstream where waste has accumulated,” he said.
The recurring accumulation also highlights the problem of waste entering the river from its banks and adjoining areas during the monsoon. Despite source-level waste management and the collection of plastic waste from households by Haritha Karma Sena, people continue to dump waste at locations from where it can be washed into the river during heavy rain. The challenge, therefore, goes beyond clearing the waste left behind by floods, he said.
Meanwhile, the Meenachil River Protection Council is preparing a comprehensive project report for the protection of the river, which it plans to submit to the government by the end of this month.