the new year 2007 bought out ms.p.k.sreemathy (health minister of kerala) to make some positive statements.

i quote from article,
"The Minister said the Board had taken steps for continuous monitoring and recording of water quality of the Periyar. Industries were asked to set up online monitoring systems and delay ponds. The blueprint for a common waste processing plant for small industries was ready. Ms. Sreemathy said five bone-meal factories in the Eloor area had been given three months to set up pollution-control systems. A detailed plan to save the Periyar was being prepared to seek Central assistance."

also there is a very positive move to deny consent to iron and sponge unit,
"Pollution Control Board Chairman G. Rajamohan said the Board had denied consent to a new iron and sponge unit to operate near the Malampuzha reservoir though `consent to establish' had been given in 2004."

india's developedment, as i have mentioned in previous blogs, comes up at destruction of rural areas via red tag industries like sponge iron units.

but kerala has to do a lot to improve its environmental situation. note that environment is crucial to kerala as tourism is important and core revenue earner and also the percentage of people living off the environment (rivers, backwaters, etc) is very big.

below are some images of the sorry state of kerala's environment.

1. sulphur being openly stored in vembanad lake in cochin. this lake is a world class beauty but has been dangerously polluted by sewage, chemicals and indiscriminate building very close to the banks.

2.sulphur being shipped cooly with a thin coat of cloth in vembanad lake.


3. the dead kuzhikandan creek of eloor. this creek runs across eloor and is hundred years old but has been abused with chemical pollution.
4.chemicals (including dangerous gypsum) being dumped openly all across eloor.
5. this is the bund that seperates pollution from the downstream eloor area from seeping into upstream aluva pumping station. if i were living in ernakulam area i would say a big NO THANKS to the pumped water as the eloor pollution is very close by.