The Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) has attributed the discharge of untreated sewage for the rising faecal contamination along the Kadambrayar in Ernakulam district.
Water quality confirms faecal contamination of the Kadambrayar at the monitoring locations in Brahmapuram and Manakkakadavu, which may be attributed to the discharge of untreated sewage into the river, said the report dated July 9 submitted by the CPCB before the Southern Bench. The report pointed out that it was the responsibility of the State to ensure rejuvenation of the identified polluted rivers in a time-bound manner.
The report was submitted after the tribunal took suo motu notice of The Hindu report ‘No respite from faecal contamination in Kadambrayar river in Ernakulam district’ published on April 30, 2024. Besides the CPCB, the bench had asked the Department of Environment and the State Pollution Control Board to submit their replies after they were served with the copy of the news report.
The report said that the range of faecal coliform values exceeded the primary water quality for outdoor bathing notified under the Environment (Protection) Rules, 1986 (maximum permissible limit of less than 2500 MPN/100 ml) in 2022 and 2023 at both the locations. The range of faecal streptococci values also exceeded the primary water quality for outdoor bathing notified under the Environment (Protection) Rules, 1986 (maximum permissible limit less than 500 MPN/100 ml) in 2022 and 2023, it said.
Kadambrayar is among the 351 polluted river stretches in 31 States and Union Territories identified by the CPCB in 2018. The total coliform count was 41,000 MPN/100 ml in the Brahmapuram stretch of the river, according to the data for 2023 available with the CPCB under its National Water Quality Monitoring Programme.
