Kerala HC demands separate authority for Periyar River

The Kerala High Court has expressed dissatisfaction with the lack of a dedicated authority for the Periyar River. The court has halted the work of newly formed monitoring committees, stating they do not meet the necessary requirements. Justice Devan Ramachandran emphasized the need for a powerful, permanent authority to address violations effectively. He criticized the monitoring committees for their limited scope and infrequent meetings, which do not align with the court's intentions. The court has given the government three weeks to respond regarding the establishment of this authority. In the meantime, it instructed relevant departments to report to an existing high-level committee on river pollution issues.