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Ashtamudi Lake Faces Water Quality Concerns
Context:
- The Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) has reported that four locations in Ashtamudi Lake, a prominent Ramsar site in Kollam district, Kerala, are unfit for bathing water standards set by The Environment (Protection) Rules, 1986.
- This revelation came in a status report submitted to the National Green Tribunal (NGT) in response to a suo motu case based on a report by The Hindu.
Key Highlights:
- The four monitoring stations in Ashtamudi Lake are at Thoppilkadavu, near the KSRTC bus depot, Perumon, and Kundara Ceramics.
- A study by the Department of Aquatic Biology and Fisheries, University of Kerala, found microplastics in fish, shellfish, sediment, and water in the lake.
- The study, supported by the Ecomarine Project and co-funded by the Erasmus Programme of the European Union, showed:
- Fish contained 19.6% microplastics, while shellfish had a significantly higher level at 40.9%.
- Fish and shellfish often contain hazardous components like plastic polymers (nylon, polyurethane, polypropylene, polyethylene, and polysiloxane) and heavy metals (molybdenum, iron, and barium).
- These pollutants, found in their guts, can pose significant risks to both marine life and human health.
- The study emphasises the need for immediate action to address and reduce microplastic pollution, including developing strategies to manage plastic waste and minimise its entry into estuarine systems.
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Microplastics are tiny plastic fragments that are less than five millimetres long. Sources of pollution in the lake include untreated municipal solid waste and plastic debris, local waste discharge from residences and resorts, and nylon fibre pollution from fishing equipment like nets, cages, and monofilaments. |
About Ashtamudi Lake:
- Ashtamudi Lake, the second largest lake in Kerala, is located in the Kollam district.
- Ashtamudi Estuary, the second largest estuary in Kerala is linked to the Arabian Sea through a continuous opening at Neendakara and Sakthikulangara in Kollam taluka, Kollam district.
- Size: Approximately 16 kilometres in length, covering about 30% of Kollam town.
- It is bordered by lush green trees and swaying coconut palms and connects to the sea through the Neendakara estuary.
- Name Origin: “Ashtamudi” derives from “Ashta” (eight) and “Mudi” (branch), indicating the lake’s eight branches.
- Drainage: The lake’s branches converge into a single channel that meets the Arabian Sea.
- The lake system comprises eight branches: Thevally Lake, Kandachira Lake, Kureepuzha Lake, Thekkumbagham Lake, Kallada Lake, Perumon Lake, Kumbalathu Lake, and Kanjirottu Lake.