Kerala Nadee Samrakshana Samithi has called upon the authorities to constitute a river protection force to check the unrestrained sand mining and contamination of rivers and other water bodies.
The demand was made at the valedictory of the river protection yatra, organised to protect the Vamanapuram river, the longest river in the district, under the aegis of the Kerala Nadee Samrakshana Samithi at Pulimoottil Kadavu, Chirayinkeezhu, where the Vamanapuram river reaches the sea.
V Sasi MLA inagurated the valedictory function. Chirayinkeezhu panchyat president Subhash presided over the function.
Samithi state secretary Seetharaman urged the government to stop sand mining from the river for 10 years.
“There should be 24-hour protection for rivers. Sand mining, encroachment of river and contamination had been destroying the rivers,” he said.
Earlier Vithura panchayat president L B Vipin flagged off the yatra at 8 a m at Kallar Junction.
Kallar ward member Leela Kumari, Surendran Nair, Kallar Samrakshana Samithi and Shaji spoke.
At Vamanapuram Junction, panchayat president S Ambikadevi accorded reception to the yatra.
At Attingal, Municipality chairperson S Kumari inaugurated the reception.
An interactive session with the yatra members and Municipal Councillors was held at the Municipal Hall. The chairperson draped a ponnada on Jatha captain N Appukuttan Pillai.
