: In June last year, the Kerala State Biodiversity Board announced a project to create a bio-fence around the Sasthamcotta freshwater lake in Kollam district, which faces a serious environment threat. Even a year after the announcement, there are no signs of any bio-fence coming up around the lake.
In June 2013, Chief Minister Oommen Chandy announced the allocation of Rs.24.8 crore for projects to conserve and protect the lake. Mr. Chandy also announced Rs.14 crore for an alternative water supply scheme for Kollam city and Rs.16 crore for a similar scheme for the Chavara-Panmana areas. That project too has failed to take off.
The lake, a Ramsar site, is the drinking water source for Kollam city and seven panchayats.
Agitations
Agitations by greens demanding measures on a war footing to protect the lake began more than 12 years ago. Such agitations still continue because no measures have been taken. As a result, the lake is badly shrinking and its water quality seriously hurt because of wanton human intervention. The lake which 15 years ago had an area of 3.73 sq km has now shrunk to 3 sq km, shows a recent study.
Many portions of the lake are now lush grasslands where people let out their livestock to graze.
The silver lining against this backdrop are two strong decisions taken this month by the District Collector A. Kowsigan.
One is to impose a strict ban on performing the religious bali tharpan ritual in the lake and another is tendering a contract to fell over 4,000 Acacia auriculiformis trees from one portion of the lake’s bank.
These trees were planted several years ago as part of an afforestation process. The decision comes in the wake of a visit by technical experts from the Wetlands International, a global non-governmental organisation that works for sustaining and restoring wetlands.
Their visit aims at providing inputs for the preparation of a master plan for the conservation and protection of the lake.
