Thiruvananthapuram: The much-lauded mega cleaning drive of River Killiyar organised by the city corporation has unfortunately resulted in the pollution of coastal area of the district owing to unscientific practices. Local organisations had to resort to another cleaning operation to remove garbage, including plastic bottles, that were seen floating alongside the coast after the botched river-cleaning exercise.
The whole garbage from the river, Killiyar, had reached the sea through the estuary (pozhi) at Panathura. As huge quantities of waste removed during the cleaning operation reached the sea, several locals who had bathed in the beaches subsequently developed allergic reaction.
As the pollution levels of the sea increased, organisations like Friends of Marine Life and Scuba Cochin set out to clean the waste from the sea close to the beach beside The Leela hotel at Kovalam. Foreign tourists also joined the drive.
Experts point out that the increased levels of pollution may even lead to the large-scale death of marine organisms like fish.
The Corporation of Thiruvananthapuram had carried out the cleaning of the river in association with residents associations and volunteers under the Clean Killiyar Mission.
