A river that runs through the heart of the capital of south Indian state Kerala is heavily contaminated with organic waste and chemical
effluents, according to a recent study.
Around 90 per cent of ground water samples collected from the river basin of Karanaba Ruver were found acidic and 53 per cent of them were reported to be bacteriologically polluted, the study by Kerala State Council for Science,
Technology and Environment (KSCSTE) has revealed.
The study was done along the banks of Karamana River, one of the major water sources in the city outskirts here.
Water samples had been collected from around 20 locations, a top researcher who participated in the study said.
"Water quality is not upto the standard in any of the major stretches of the river especially in the downstream areas. Apart from organic contamination, the river basin is highly affected with bacteriological pollution also. The
acidic nature of river water is also very high," he said detailing the findings of the study.
According to the study report, the physico-chemical parameter of the water quality has exceeded the desirable limit advocated by the Bureau of Indian Standards.
Mushrooming of concrete structures, unscientific constructions carried out along the river banks, discharge of sewage and bio-wastes from the nearby industrial plants are the main reasons contributing to the river pollution, the
researchers said.
While, Thrikkannapuram, the Pachalloor estuarine area and Thiruvallam were found to be the most polluted stretches of Karaman River, the Parvathy Puthanar canal was a major source of pollution of the river waters.
The sediments collected from the river basin at the Pappanamcode industrial area near here has high concentration of metals like iron, copper, cadmium etc, the study said.