India, June 22 -- The Kerala High Court has stressed the need for a unified authority to monitor the cleanliness of the Periyar river, saying that lives of millions are at stake and all stakeholders, including the State Government, need to behave responsibly and discharge their obligations.

A bench of Chief Justice Soumen Sen and Justice Syam Kumar VM noted that in view of the importance of the Periyar river in the state, the need for a unified authority to monitor it "does not require any further emphasis".

The court said that the government had earlier suggested the creation of an Integrated River Basin Conservation and Management Plan back in September, 2025.

"The lives of millions are at stake and we should not wait for doomsday to...