more-in Kochi: Several organisations in the city organised programmes on World Water Day demanding protection of Periyar river that supplies drinking water to the region. Rights organisation Collective for Right to Live (CORL) joined hands with various social outfits united under the umbrella Kudivella Samrakshana Samiti launched a fast at High Court Junction raising the slogan, ‘Drinking water is my birthright’. The fast, which will be on till March 25, will be called off the next day with a rally at Marine Drive which will be addressed by iconic rights activist Irom Sharmila. Cardinal George Alencherry, Major Archbishop of the Syro Malabar Church, inaugurated the fast at High Court Junction on Wednesday morning. Adivasi Gothramahasabha State coordinator M. Geethanandan and Kudivella Samrakshana Samiti chairman C.S. Murali addressed the meeting. Speaking on the occasion, Cardinal Alencherry accused governments of not taking stringent action against pollution of water bodies and rivers. He urged the administration to realise that all rivers needed protection just like the Ganga and the Yamuna. The spread of diseases like cancer should be taken seriously. “This has now prompted the people to demand closure of all polluting industries that discharge effluents into the Periyar,” he said. G.D. Martin presented observations from studies on the presence of chemical pollutants in the river. At a ‘Save Periyar’ meeting at Aluva, people from different spheres pledged support to the fast at High Court Junction. The meeting demanded closure of all ‘red category’ industries along the Periyar. A similar meeting was held at Vyttila too. Meanwhile ‘Green Army’ students of the Parama Bhattara Kendriya Vidyalayam submitted their report on fishkill in Chithrapuzha to P.T. Thomas, MLA. The study assumes that the level of oxygen in the river has come down drastically owing to pollution caused ostensibly by liquid waste discharged into the river through pipes on either side of the river on the stretch from Vyttila to the Chittethukara boat jetty.

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