Rampant pollution in Bhavani, Moyar: WWF

“This was the revelation of the study conducted by World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) by testing water samples collected from Kallar River, Bhavani River, Ooty lake, Pykara River and Moyar River. 

The report titled ‘Water Quality Assessment in the upper reaches of the Bhavani and Moyar in The Nilgiris’, that has a compilation of the impact of the pollution during the lean period over the last three calendar years along with suggestions for improving water quality, was submitted to Collector P Shankar, at an event organised by WWF and another wildlife NGO Osai at Udhagamandalam on Wednesday.

WWF sources said that the water samples were collected in May 2015, February 2016 and February 2017 and were analysed under 25 parameters. The test reviled that 50 lakh litres of sewage generated by Coonoor town is discharged into the Kallar every day. Assessment revealed that presence of coliform bacteria in the river, due to dumping of faecal matter. This was 14 times higher than the limit prescribed by the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB).

The Cordite factory in Aravankadu that manufactures Nitro-cellulose and Nitro-glycerine for the arms industry has been cited as the major source of pollution, discharging effluents loaded with Nitrates and Aluminium far exceeding CPCB standards. These effluents are drained into a small stream that flows into Kallar. The study that was conducted at Ooty lake, Pykara and the Moyar Basin pointed out that the Sewage Treatment Plant (STP) in Udhagamandalam town can treat only 70 lakh litres per day while another 30 lakh litre of sewage gets drained into the Ooty lake every day. The report states that the amount of coliform bacteria in the lake is much higher than Kallar River.

Moyar basin is also hit by large scale industrial pollution, with Sterling Biotech industry releasing as much as 10 lakh litres of highly contaminated effluent into the environment every day, in May 2016. This flows into Pykara lake and into Moyar River (directly) and Singara River (through pipelines).

District Collector P Shankar told DTNext that the organisations that conducted the study have alleged that three leading factories are discharging effluents at night. “So, we will strengthen on vigil at night besides making online monitoring. Sterling Biotech is working on zero discharge of effluents and when it is done the problem will come to an end,” he said.