KOLLAM: Sasthamcotta Lake in Kollam district, designated as a Ramsar Site in November 2002 and listed by the Union government as a wetland of national importance, is shrinking at an alarming rate. Although the water level in the lake, the largest freshwater lake in the State, has always responded to changing seasons, environmental activists and those living in its vicinity say that the decline in the lake’s water volume at present is “alarming.” Summer has only started advancing but parched bed is exposed on all sides of the lake. At a couple of locations the lake has shrunk by about 250 to 300 metres. Indiscriminate exploitation of lake water and environment degradation activities around its catchment area are being cited as the main cause for the reduced lake volume. The main water source of the lake is the underground sprouts, which had been sustaining the water volume at a satisfactory level even during the height of summer. But this year, the lake started shrinking by January-end itself.
The area of the lake as per official records is 3.74 sq km and it can hold 22.39 million litres of water. It is surrounded by 38 hills on three sides and paddy fields on the east. To prevent water from spilling into the fields an earthen bund has been constructed. Almost all hills surrounding the lake have human habitations. According to Environment Protection Coordination Council general convener Odanavattam Vijayaprakash, the prime threat to the lake’s volume is the illegal clay and sand mining in its catchment areas. The council has been championing the lake’s protection for many years. Mining has created huge chasms all over the catchment area, which in turn has depleted the underground sprouts, Mr. Vijayaprakash said.
Burdened by projects
The lake remains the drinking water source for Kollam city and a couple of grama panchayats. Each day 37.5 million litres of water is being pumped from the lake despite its alarming rate of shrinkage. Adding to the woes, the State government will shortly commission another drinking water project for three more grama panchayats with the lake as the source. This is despite the fact that the Centre for Earth Science Studies has warned against further exploitation of the lake for drinking water projects. Environment activists say that the new project will sound the death knell for the lake. Projects for the lake protection have been announced from time to time, but none has taken concrete shape, Mr. Vijayaprakash said.
Source: The Hindu, Dated: 01.03.2010
The area of the lake as per official records is 3.74 sq km and it can hold 22.39 million litres of water. It is surrounded by 38 hills on three sides and paddy fields on the east. To prevent water from spilling into the fields an earthen bund has been constructed. Almost all hills surrounding the lake have human habitations. According to Environment Protection Coordination Council general convener Odanavattam Vijayaprakash, the prime threat to the lake’s volume is the illegal clay and sand mining in its catchment areas. The council has been championing the lake’s protection for many years. Mining has created huge chasms all over the catchment area, which in turn has depleted the underground sprouts, Mr. Vijayaprakash said.
Burdened by projects
The lake remains the drinking water source for Kollam city and a couple of grama panchayats. Each day 37.5 million litres of water is being pumped from the lake despite its alarming rate of shrinkage. Adding to the woes, the State government will shortly commission another drinking water project for three more grama panchayats with the lake as the source. This is despite the fact that the Centre for Earth Science Studies has warned against further exploitation of the lake for drinking water projects. Environment activists say that the new project will sound the death knell for the lake. Projects for the lake protection have been announced from time to time, but none has taken concrete shape, Mr. Vijayaprakash said.
Source: The Hindu, Dated: 01.03.2010
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