A Division Bench of the Kerala High Court on Tuesday suggested that no polluting and chemical industries be allowed to be constructed in the Edayar-Eloor areas and a permanent check dam be built to prevent pollution of drinking water sources in the Periyar. The Bench directed the State government to express its views on these proposals. The Bench, comprising Justice C.N. Ramachandran Nair and Justice C.K. Abdul Rehim, issued the directive on a writ petition filed by the Eloor Malineekarana Virudha Samithi. The court felt that the government should not permit the starting of new chemical or polluting industries at any place east of Eloor-Edayar areas. The court was of the opinion that the government should not even allow any closed polluting industries to reopen. The Bench said that if a permanent check dam was constructed at Pathalam, it would prevent mixing of polluted water and salt water with the drinking water sources further east of Pathalam, although such construction would be expensive.