Call for steps to protect Vembanad Lake

 
A workshop on protection on Vembanad Lake has called for eviction of all unauthorized and illegal encroachments in the lake. The land thus evicted should be utilized for projects meant for the protection of the lake, participants if the workshop, organized by the Kerala Sasthra Sahitya Parishad, in Kochi said. An authentic database on reduction in the area of the lake, extent of encroachments, reduction of the depth and other related aspects should be prepared, an action plan prepared for the lake suggested. The lake reached a moribund state due to the shrinkage of the water bodies, reduced saline water incursion due to the closure of Thannermukkam bund and reduction in the depth, the workshop said. Efforts for regeneration of life in the lake should be undertaken. The closure period of the Thannermukam bund should be restricted from January to March each year, the action plan prepared at the workshop said. The violations of the Coastal Regulation Zone (CRZ) should be checked and the civic bodies should take into account the CRZ restrictions while clearing all applications for construction activities, the action plan recommended.

(The Hindu,11th  June  2007)