Kochi: Potable water is the birthright of every human and it is the responsibility of the government to make sufficient water available for people, asserts Cardinal George Alencherry.
The head of the Syro Malabar Church on March 22 opened a hunger strike against polluting Periyar, a major river, and other water bodies in Kerala, the southern Indian state.
The protest at High Court Junction Kochi, the state’s commercial capital, was organized by Collective for Right to Live, a group of various organizations.
Cardinal Alencherry wants the government to stop helping corporates and initiate steps to preserve the Periyar which, he says, is the lifeline of around 4 million people in Ernakulam district, neindianexpress.com reported.
“People of Kochi are most affected by diseases such as cancer and kidney failures. The reason for this is the ingestion of polluted food and water. Instead of spending money on the healthcare sector, the government should to initiate steps to prevent people from becoming patients,’’ the prelate added.
Rights activist M Geethanandan urged politicians and the Pollution Control Board to take steps to prevent corporate giants from polluting the Periyar further. ‘’The pollution has already crossed the limit. Now, the government should shoulder the responsibility of protecting us,” he added.
Sebastian Paul, a former Member of Parliament, regretted that preaching, rallies and awareness campaigns on water conservation have not borne fruit. ‘’Water bodies are contaminated with untreated toxic substances released from factories near rivers. Rivers are not just a source of water, they represent our culture and tradition too,’’ he added.
“Periyar is polluted by not just by industries, but by humans also. It is strange to note people are not concerned even when their surroundings are getting polluted,’’ Paul noted.