The Kerala High Court has ordered the state Pollution Control Board to complete the installation of a sewage treatment plant on the Periyar River by December 31, 2026, rejecting a proposed timeline that would have extended the project into late next year.
A division bench comprising Chief Justice Soumen Sen and Justice Syam Kumar V M issued the peremptory directive after expressing strong dissatisfaction with the progress reported by environmental regulators. The court stated that the authorities had failed to give proper priority to previous judicial orders and the ecological preservation of the waterbody.
Court Rejects Environmental Board Timeline
The decision follows a report submitted by the Pollution Control Board’s Chief Environmental Engineer on July 14, 2026, which proposed completing the Sewage Treatment Plant (STP) by August 2027. The bench formally rejected this timeline, declaring it unacceptable given the urgent need to protect the river’s biodiversity, flora, and fauna.
The court has scheduled a follow-up hearing for January 2027. The Chief Environmental Engineer has been ordered to present a formal compliance report at that time confirming the completion of the project.
Industrial Pollution Sparked Legal Action
The legal proceedings stem from a group of petitions filed to address the heavy pollution of the Periyar River. The litigation specifically seeks to halt the discharge of industrial effluents and waste from the Aluva Market into the water.
In June, the high court had instructed the Pollution Control Board to draft a revised schedule for the STP’s construction. At the time, the judges emphasized that setting up the treatment system was vital to safeguarding the local environment and river ecosystem.
