A reading more than 14 times the limit at Narath, and the board whose tests found it

Background

Water taken from the Valapattanam river at Narath, Parassinikadavu and Pappinisseri has shown high levels of chemical pollutants and harmful bacteria. The test reports come from the Kerala State Pollution Control Board, which measures water and air quality for the government. The chemical oxygen demand is one of the measures used, and at Narath it stood at 3,584 milligrams per litre. The prescribed limit for wastewater discharge is 250 mg/L, so that reading was more than 14 times the limit. Near the Parassinikadavu temple, at a drainage outlet, the reading was 22,898 mg/L. The sample there also carried 27,000 colony-forming units of coliform bacteria in every 100 millilitres. A joint inspection was coordinated by the District Pollution Control Board, with local self-government institutions and health officials taking part. It had all begun with a complaint to the Environment Committee of the Kerala Legislative Assembly some years ago.