Talking to reporters at the end of the 29-km long walkathon organised by the Palar Protection and Awareness Movement (PPAM), from Shanthaimedu in Ranipet up to Vellore Collectorate on Sunday, Nammalvar said the walkathon was organised to highlight the problems faced by urban dwellers and villagers living along the Palar. It also aimed at kindling the forgotten duty of the government to protect the water bodies. Today, water has become a commodity, he added.

He further said the State should empower the Tamil Nadu Pollution Control Board (TNPCB) to take stern measures against polluters of Palar. He also said 2.27 metric tonnes of chromium had been dumped in the SIPCOT area in Ranipet and it had posed a serious problem to environment and the people living there. The government should take measures to remove them.

The members of the PPAM along with other participants such as social workers M M Basheer of Vaniyambadi and Kanchi Amudhan submitted a resolution copy to the district administration.

The organisers of the programme demanded that the government direct the TNPCB to act strongly against the chemical, leather and glue industries, which were discharging effluent onto the riverbed. They also demanded that the government stop sand mining on the river bed.

They urged the government to build check dams along the river bed and plant saplings on either side to strengthen the bunds. The participants raised slogans demanding that the government take measures to remove the 2.27 metric tonnes of chromium, dumped in Ranipet area decades ago.

They also demanded that the district administration instruct town panchayats and municipalities located along the riverbed to stop dumping garbage on the river bed and direct the local bodies to adopt solid waste management. Around 500 persons took part in the walkathon, which started around 10 am and ended around 5 pm. Pamphlets were distributed to the villagers along the way.