“You Wake Up In The Middle Of Night Choked”: Reddit Post Raises Alarm Over Alleged Chemical Pollution In Kasaragod
Kerala: Residents in and around Ananthapuram, a village in Kasaragod, have raised concerns over a persistent chemical smell that they say has been affecting the area for several months.
A Reddit post seeking media attention has alleged that people living within a 4–5 km radius have been exposed to a strong and nauseating odour, particularly at night.
According to the post, residents have reported symptoms including headaches, nausea and severe throat irritation, with the smell described as strong enough to wake people from sleep.
“It’s not just a mild odour, a smell so dense that you literally wake up in the middle of the night feeling choked,” the post read.
The claims, however, are based on accounts shared by residents online and have not been independently verified.
Suffocating every night in Kasaragod, and zero media coverage.
by u/Alarming-Problem-832 in Kerala
The post says that complaints were taken to the authorities, including the Kerala State Pollution Control Board, which allegedly conducted an inspection of an oil-recycling unit in the area.
According to the Reddit user, the inspection found problems including a malfunctioning plant, inefficient air-scrubbing systems and hazardous-waste barrels being stored in the open. The post further claims that the unit was issued a temporary stop memo following the inspection.
Despite the alleged action, residents claim that the chemical smell continues to return after dark. The Reddit post raises the possibility that the emissions could be coming from the same facility operating during the night or from another industrial unit in the area.
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The Reddit user stressed that local residents are not opposed to industrial development and said the community wants greater investment and employment opportunities in Kasaragod.
The concern, according to the post, is over alleged non-compliance with pollution-control measures and the potential impact on people living close to industrial establishments.
The post also refers to Kasaragod’s history of environmental and public-health concerns and urges authorities and the media to investigate the situation before it develops into a larger health emergency.
The reference appears to be to previous environmental and health controversies in the district, though the Reddit post does not provide specific evidence linking the present allegations to any earlier incident.
The post has also prompted a discussion about the lack of wider media attention to the issue. Some users suggested approaching journalists, social-media influencers and content creators who could bring the matter to a larger audience.
In response, the original poster said that a few local influencers had attempted to raise the issue but lacked sufficient reach to sustain public attention. The user also said that there are limited creators in Kasaragod with the audience needed to maintain pressure on authorities.
