Drying Bharathapuzha exposes impact of human intervention

The scorching summer has reduced the Bharathapuzha, once celebrated as the Nile of Kerala, to long stretches of parched riverbed. Across parts of Palakkad, Thrissur and Malappuram districts, the river now lies dry for kilometres, even as it continues to serve as a vital lifeline for the people of these regions.

Pockets of water, however, remain trapped in stretches where dams, regulators and check dams have been built for drinking water supply and irrigation. Even as demands grow for more such structures, questions persist over their long-term sustainability and impact on the river’s natural flow.