Ashtamudi wetland below siege

Express News Service
KOLLAM: The Ashtamudi lake in Kollam district, state’s second largest lake, and one of many three wetlands within the state listed below the Ramsar conference is dealing with critical environmental degradation. Home to a number of plant and hen species, the lake was declared a wetland of worldwide significance below the Ramsar Convention on August 19, 2002. But since then little has been completed to guard it. Not even a signboard has been positioned to point the stature of the lake that was numbered Ramsar web site 1,204.

“The authorities concerned have carried out minimal work to conserve the Ashtamudi lake. Voluntary efforts by social organisations and local people are keeping it alive,” stated V I Rahul, an environmentalist who lives close to the lake. e stated reclamation, air pollution and sand-mining have brought on immense injury to the famed water physique. 

V Ok Madhusoodanan, one other environmentalist, stated solely a small portion of the particular funds allotted by the Union Ministry of Environment and Forests for the conservation of the lake has been utilised. “Almost all courses of the lake have become waste-dumping sites with plastic the biggest threat,” he stated.

Large areas of Ashtamudi have been reclaimed for improvement initiatives and extra are earmarked for upcoming initiatives. The lake that after spanned an space of 61.4 sq km has now shrunk to 34 sq km. Besides encroachment to accommodate the growing inhabitants, the formation of latest islets between Dalavapuram, Neendakara and Kavanadu have additionally contributed to the discount within the space of the lake.

Outer ring-road extensionWater within the Ashtamudi lake has turned darker with the authorities giving the nod to fill it by destroying mangroves to allow the development of a ring-road extension. Even the fundamental environmental clearance from the State Wetland Authority of Kerala (SWAK) has not been taken for the development violating the Coastal Regulation Zone and the Ramsar norms. 

Rahul has filed a public curiosity litigation (PIL) with the Kerala High Court concerning the problem. The PIL factors out that, if the highway is allowed, it could severely have an effect on the already disturbed ecosystem of the Ashtamudi wetland. SWAK, Kerala Coastal Zone Management Authority, Kollam district collector, metropolis company, Directorate of Environment and Climate Change, Public Works Department and the State of Kerala are respondents within the case.  

Road development The 2.75 km highway, costing B254.4 crore, has been constructed to ease the site visitors alongside the 1.6 km stretch connecting Collectorate Junction, High School Junction and Kollam bus stand. However, the Kollam bypass has apparently made the mission irrelevant as a serious a part of the site visitors flows alongside the bypass. Though the authorities declare the highway can be constructed on pillars, the tidal stream of water is prone to be affected.

61.4 sq km was the realm of the lake earlier. Now it has shrunk to 34 sq km. Large areas of Ashtamudi have been reclaimed for improvement initiatives and extra are earmarked for upcoming initiatives

It’s state’s second largest lake, and one of many three wetlands within the state listed below the Ramsar conference

Water within the Ashtamudi lake has turned darker with the authorities giving the nod to fill it

  Litigation in opposition to pollutionIn 2018, attorneys Boris Paul and V I Rahul had filed a petition with the District Legal Services Authority concerning the growing air pollution in Ashtamudi Lake. Based on their PIL, a gathering was known as not too long ago by DSLA secretary Subitha Chirakkal, which was attended by 15 representatives together with from Kollam Corporation, district panchayat, State Wetland Authority, PWD, and Suchitwa Mission.