KOCHI: An expert team from the National Environmental Engineering Research Institute (NEERI) on Tuesday started collecting samples from the Periyar.
The eleven-member team is led by Dr Tapas Nandy, chief scientist in the Waste Water Technology Division of the NEERI.
The expert team started the project by collecting samples from the river near Hindustan Insecticides Ltd (HIL). “The initiative follows an order issued by the Chennai Bench of the National Green Tribunal (NGT) on September 7, directing the Nagpur-based NEERI to collect samples from the effluent outlets of HIL, Fertilisers and Chemicals Travancore Ltd, Merchem Limited and Cochin Minerals and Routiles Ltd, which are situated in the Eloor- Edayar industrial belt. The sample collection will continue until Friday,” said officials.
The NGT has ordered the NEERI to complete the study within one month, and not to delegate the work to any other agency.