Locals Seek Pig Farm Closure at Ayroor, Kerala
KERALA, INDIA - The local people led by people’s representatives have staged a march to a private pig farm at Mundaplackal near Ayroor, protesting against the environmental pollution due to flow of filth from the farm into a stream, Vettikkadthodu, leading to river Pampa on Tuesday.The march was led by V. Prasad, Koipram block panchayat member, Jacob Koshy, Vidyadharan and Peethambaran, Ayroor grama panchayat members.
Mr Prasad said the private enterprise atop a hill was started as a chicken farm 17 years ago and the environmental problem came to surface with the opening of a pig farm attached to it six years ago.
Unscientific dumping of solid and liquid waste in a large tank at the pig farm has been causing sever pollution problem in the locality and local people have been clamouring for the closure of the pig farm since the past few years.
They were forced to resort to agitation as their pleas to the farm owner as well as the district administration and the Health authorities fell on deaf ears, said Mr Prasad.
According to him, the bursting of a storage tank leading to flow of filth in huge quantity into the Vettikkadthodu the other day has made life miserable to the local people, especially to the nearly 500 families residing on either bank of the stream. The stench emanating from the stream due to the polluted water was severe. Many women and children have reportedly fainted, unable to bear with the stench.
According to The Hindu, a team of Health department officials led by the Deputy District Medical Officer had inspected the affected area and had collected water samples from the stream.
A many as 250 people, including women and children, took part in the protest march.
Mr Prasad said the farm owner had sought 10 days’ time for removing the waste accumulated at the farm which the local people have turned down.
Mr Prasad said the agitation would continue till the pig farm was closed for ever. He alleged that the farm has been functioning in violation of the prevailing pollution control norms as well as the guidelines fixed for the same panchayat.