Concern over fish deaths in Periyar

KOCHI: With fish deaths in the Periyar river recurring for the fourth time in the last week, the Kerala Matsyathozhilali Aikyavedi (TUCI) has led protest against the negligence shown by the officials concerned. In a press release issued to the press, the office bearers of the union said that apart from being the habitat of innumerable fresh water fish, the Periyar river also plays a major role in the life cycle of 76 out of the 125 species of marine fish that live off the coast of Kerala. Nearly 2.5 lakh inland fishermen and 7.5 lakh coastal fishermen depend on Periyar for a living. Under such circumstances, the present level of pollution occurring to the river will take a heavy toll on the lives of these fishermen, stated the release.Though the District Collector had earlier formed a monitoring committee which included representatives of the fishermen community to keep a tab on the pollution of the Periyar river, this committee has not met for the past one year, the Aikyavedi noted.