Dr E.P. Yasodharan, chairman of the environment cell constituted by the Standing Council of Trade Unions (SCTU) in Ernakulam, who is a professor at Cusat, said that a river authority should be formed to protect the Periyar, the lifeline of Kochi and its surroundings.
He said that the authority should be a permanent body with executive powers and its accountability should be vested with the constitutional head of the state.
Dr Yasodharan was on Thursday, presenting the environmental report prepared by the cell, at the conference in Kalamassery on "Periyar Protection and Industrial Belt’', organised by the SCTU. The report comes in the wake of court strictures on industries for polluting the Periyar.
He said that environmental pollution had become part of modern lifestyle. Shutting down industries was not the answer as employment was generated through them.
It was not just the chemical industry that was contributing to pollution, but electronic industry too was piling up waste.
The SCTU has decided to organise a vehicle rally on August 16 and 17 and a human chain on September 6 from Eloor to Muppathadam to highlight the issues involved. MPs, MLAs, trade union leaders attended the meet.