Pollution in Ooty Lake increases after heavy rain

There is an upsurge in the inflow of plastic and organic waste into the waterbody

Garbage dumped at the boat house in Udhagamandalam. | Photo Credit: M. SATHYAMOORTHY

After the recent heavy rain in the Nilgiris, Ooty Lake, which has consistently been affected by pollution, has seen an upsurge in the inflow of plastic and organic waste.

Over the last few weeks, local residents and researchers have noticed an increase in plastic waste floating among the water hyacinth in the lake, which is popular among tourists. They have also noticed the dumping of food waste in the lake.

N. Moinudheen, an independent researcher in the Nilgiris, said he and wildlife biologist A. Samson had recorded a high prevalence of flies in the lake. A paper on the habitat usage of the flies, co-authored by Moinudheen and Samson, was published in International Research Journal of Insect Sciences.

In the paper, the authors noted that the lake had a high density of flies during the post-monsoon and winter seasons. The site could be harmful to humans and animals owing to the high density of flies that might spread diseases, said Mr. Moinudheen.

However, both Mr. Moinudheen and Mr. Samson noted that the flies were kept in check by birds that resided in the lake and those that stopped over at the waterbody during their annual migration to the Western Ghats.

However, after the recent rain, inflow of plastic waste has increased, say locals. They allege that the Water Resources Organization of the Public Works Department does not run the sewage treatment plant (STP) at the lake regularly. “The STP should be functioning, so that the wastewater that is let into the Kodappamund Channel and that eventually finds its way into the lake is cleaned of pollutants. However, there is a feeling among local residents that the plant isn’t being run regularly...,” said R. Ramakrishnan, who lives at Khandal in Udhagamandalam.

“The Department of Tourism, the Public Works Department and the Department of Fisheries, which all have some stake in the maintenance of the lake, should also ensure that the water is tested regularly for its quality; for, the water from the lake flows downstream and eventually into the Moyar River. This could have implications for the health of wildlife,” Mr. Moinudheen said.

When contacted, officials of the Nilgiris district administration said that during the recent rain, there was an increase in water flowing into the STP, which did not have the capacity to handle and treat the amount of sewage flowing into it. This caused the water to flood over the sluices of the plant. “This could have resulted in more plastic entering the lake,” said an official.