Episodal Pollution Caused By A Barrier Across Branch of River Periyar

                                               Foreword
 The Central Pollution Control Board narrated an incident of episodal pollution caused bya breach of an unlined pit storing molasses in a sugar factory in the district of Goa. The molasses fr,om the breached pit started flowing into a river which is the source for drinking water supply for five major towns In the district of Goa. For seven long days the towns went without water supply. This 'episode documentation entitled "Episodal Pollution A Case Study Union Territory of Goa (Programme Objective Series: Probes/5/1979-S0)" has boosted up the country's programme In building rnore and more molasses storage tanks using mild steel as the material.

The Central Pollution Control Board since then requested all State Boards to investigate, rel~ord, and narrate all such eplsodal pollution for guidance to avoid mistakes In future. The present case study attempts to highlight how an earthen bund (temporary) across a branch of the Perlyar river, Intended to

prevent saline water Intrusion during the dry month of Apri11982, degraded the water quality of the branch downstream of the temporary bund at a faster rate causing massive fish kill on a particular day. The loss suffered by the people earning their livelihood directly or Indirectly from the location Is estimated to the tune of eleven million rupees. This report Is a pointer to the fact that corrective measures not audited environmentally may cause more harm than good.
Nilay Chaudhuri
Chairman, CPCB
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