Kannur: In the backdrop of the recurring incidents of the carcasses of dolphins and turtles getting washed ashore in different places in the state, a special team from Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) started their visit along the Kerala coast to study the cause.
The team led by Deepesh V, scientist with the CPCB, Bangalore, collected water samples from various spots from the Arabian Sea as well as Valappattanam River and also interacted with the fishermen to ascertain the cause.
"In the first stage, we are collecting the samples of sea and river to analyse the cause," said Deepesh. It would be the team from the Central Power Research Institute (CPRI) which would analyse the samples to reach a conclusion, he added. The team also had a boat journey in Valappattanamriver to find out the level of pollution in it.
According to M K Satheesh Kumar, a former associate professor at Govt Brennen College, Thalassery, who also accompanied the team to conduct the study, the pollution level is very high along the coast and also the river.
"We spotted huge quantity of plastics wastes along the coasts and when the fishermen were contacted, they said plastic waste menace is on the rise in deep sea from where it gets washed ashore," he said.
Also, the dumping of the waste in the river and along the sea coast is a problem affecting the marine life but it could be ascertained after the scientific examination of the samples, he said, adding that the team would examine if any toxic substances are flown into the sea from the ship breaking unit of the Steel Industries Kerala Ltd (SILK) in Azhikkal.
Further, the coal wastes from some steel plants were also spotted near Chalad and Meenkunnu, which is also a major threat to the marine life, he said, adding that there was a visible change in the colour of the sea water near Azhikkal area compared to other places.
The team, which would also visit Kochi, Alappuzha and Kollam would collect samples and prepare a detailed report to formulate an action plan to prevent the possible threats to marine life.
The CPCB initiated the study on the basis of the report, 'Rising cases of dolphin and turtle deaths spark concern', published in TOI on March 30, and also the representation made by Rajya Sabha MP Richard Hay to the Ministry of Environment, Forests and Climate Change (MoEFCC) seeking a detailed study into the death of dolphins and turtles along the Kerala coast.
