A three-day stakeholders’ meet organised as part of an Indo-UK research project, called for the setting up of a system for real-time monitoring of pollution in Vembanad lake with the support of satellite and remote-sensing technology.
The meet was organised by India-UK Water Centre (IUKWC) to promote cooperation between researchers in India and the United Kingdom in water research and policy, said a press release here.
Around 1.6 million people live along the shores of Vembanad lake.
To curb pollution in the river, a real-time monitoring system should be set up, said speakers during a panel discussion.
Satellite and remote-sensing techniques can be used to develop a system that sends real-time alerts when waste is dumped into the lake. “The system will identify the chemicals contained in the wastes and send alerts to mobiles or other monitoring facilities,” they added.
The panel also proposed that a smart irrigation system, incorporating the latest technologies, should replace the existing irrigation system in India that caused loss of water.
The IUKWC project is coordinated by the Ministry of Earth Science and the Natural Environment Research Council, UK.
A.K. Sahai, one of the coordinators of IUKWC, said that a study would be conducted to assess the risk to public health owing to the pollution of the lake.
It will also examine how pollution causes revenue loss and lowers the quality of life, threatening the orderly and sustainable economic development of the region, the press release added.
