The recurrence of large-scale fish death in the Periyar river has left environmentalists and the Kerala State Pollution Control Board (KSPCB) officials a worried lot.

The situation assumes importance in the wake of the ongoing trawling ban when the demand for freshwater fish is at its peak. According to environmentalists, after May 3, there have been over 18 instances of large-scale fish death in the Periyar. “Fish death has become common in Eloor. Though the phenomenon is usually seen in summer and was expected to stop with the onset of monsoon, it has not.