New Expert Committee Created To Tackle Periyar River Pollution: Kerela High Court

By- Yuvraj Pandey, University of Allahabad

The Kerala High Court while listening to the Association of Green Action Force v Union of India & Ors and connected cases held that an expert committee should be formed which shall comprise the Secretary of the Directorate of Environment and Climate Change, Government of Kerala, the Regional Director of Central Pollution Control Board of the Regional Directorate at Bangalore and the Chairman of Kerala State Pollution Control Board to look into the issue of Periyar River Pollution by visiting all the sites around the Periyar river and come up with some effective solutions.
The court further directed the committee to include 2 people from the petitioner’s side and the amicus curiae while visiting the site around the river.
The court also observed that despite several warnings from the National Green Tribunal (NGT) and previous order of the Court in 2020 the government hasn’t taken proper measures to curb the pollution around the river.