‘Vembanad Kayal Thirichuvarunnu’ plan to be launched

Project to be implemented in 2019-20

October 19, 2018 06:59 pm | Updated 06:59 pm IST - Alappuzha

The Alappuzha district administration, with the support of local self-government institutions, will launch a project for the conservation of Vembanad Lake.

District Collector S. Suhas said on Friday that the project was aimed at bringing the lake back to its glory days and it would be implemented in 2019-20.

“All local bodies on the banks of Vembanad Lake and the Alappuzha municipality will be part of the project titled ‘Vembanad Kayal Thirichuvarunnu’. The local bodies and the Alappuzha municipality should set aside 10% and 15% of their development fund allocation for the purpose respectively. They will utilise the amount for implementing various projects such as setting up of waste treatment plant, sewage treatment plant, construction of retaining wall, and for the tourism sector, among others,” Mr. Suhas said.

Officials said that the project would help reduce pollution in the lake and restore the ecosystem.

Polluted waterbody

The once pristine Vembanad Lake, a Ramsar site, can now lay claim to being one of the most polluted waterbodies.

According to a study carried out by the Kerala Sasthra Sahithya Parishad (KSSP) sometime ago, the water carrying capacity of the lake has diminished by 78%. The lake itself has shrunk from 36,000 ha to 12,500 ha owing to widespread reclamation and encroachments.

The studies point out that the Vembanad wetland system has deteriorated considerably due to human interventions, unscientific practices and urbanisation of the region.

The uncontrolled tourism growth has adversely impacted the lake ecosystem. There are more than 1,500 houseboats in the backwaters of Alappuzha and half of them plying without registration and safety certificates. A report of the Centre for Water Resources Development and Management (CWRDM), Kozhikode, said the recreational carrying capacity of Vembanad Lake is 262 houseboats.

Ban on houseboats

Based on it, the government had imposed a ban in Alappuzha on the construction of new houseboats after December 31, 2013, but with little effect.

With the growth of the tourism sector, the dumping of plastic waste and sewage in backwaters by houseboats and other sources has become rampant, posing a considerable threat to the lake ecosystem.

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