A one-day workshop to discuss way to improve the water flow and removal of silt from Vembanad Lake will be held at the Central Marine Fisheries Research Institute, Kochi, on Saturday.
The indiscriminate reclamation, dumping of plastic and other refuse and unscientific management practices were killing the lake ecosystem, complained the Ernakulam district unit of the Fisheries Coordination Committee.
Fishing affected
The bund constructed at Thanneermukkam has divided the lake system into two compartments. The lake on the northern side of the bund has become shallow due to siltation. The presence of weeds has also made the lake unnavigable. Fishing has also been affected due to these factors, said a joint statement issued by committee president C.K. Gopalan and general convener Charles George.
The formation of silt islands and the sediments in the lake were preventing the movement of fishing vessels, and affected the livelihood of fishermen, the statement said.
The meeting would discuss the issues related to the removal of silt and other refuse from the lake system. Legislators, researchers, fisheries experts and those from the fisheries sector would attend the workshop.
A. Gopalakrishnan, director of the institute, will inaugurate the workshop at 10 a.m.
K. Sunil Muhammad, principal scientist of the institute, will be the moderator.
Papers on practical issues related to de-siltation, alternative use of silt, production of value-added products from weeds and processing and management of plastic refuse will be presented at the workshop.
