CAN THE PEOPLE OF KERALA EVER GET PURE DRINKING WATER?

.   Dead fishes floating in Periyar river 

Courtesy - ABP Live 

Kerala has 590 km of coastline and 44 rivers flowing through the state from north to south. The people of Kerala is expected to have enough drinking water. But the fact is something else. As per available information about 65% of households of the state do not get pure drinking water. Of late it has been established undoubtedly. Drinking water for most of the inhabitants of Kochi city provided from the Periyar river. Almost all cities of Kerala is provided with drinking water water from the adjacent rivers.

According to KSPCB there were 851 large and 951 medium industries in Kerala as on 2016. They all together discharge effluent to the tune of 6.5 million M³/day. 10 major industries in Kochi generating effluent about 57,000 M³/day. While the river Pampa is already choked with waste, the river Periyar is carrying large amount of industrial waste. According to the recent media reports these effluents have killed huge amount of fishes including wide varieties exclusive species. Unfortunately no concerned authorities could do far conclusively tell the actual reason for such amount of death of fishes.

We are facing this problem since long and now the intensity is getting more and more. No practical suggestions have come so far from anywhere. The people are forced to drink poisonous water and may continue indefinitely. Under this circumstance this writer wish to put up a suggestion in this matter. The destructive chemicals contained liquid waste can be converted into solid crystals.  In order to make a low cost machine for this, the state government can organise a competitive test for school and college students. The best design for the cost effective machine can be selected and good amount of money can be offered as the prize for the winner. And this may sort out this long pending problem. 

Let us drink pure drinking water! Let the fishes may remain in our rivers!

K V George