Vembanad lake is highly polluted, says PCB study

ALAPPUZHA: The Vembanad lake, one of the world largest eco-systems in the world, has become highly polluted, a study of Kerala State Pollution Control Board(PCB) has said.The study showed that the fecal coliform, biochemical oxygen demand, pH value, dissolved oxygen and the like in the lake is high.The environmentalists urged immediate attention is needed for the restoration of the ecosystem and biodiversity.If the situation continued, over 25 lakh people living on the cost of the lake would be landed in peril, experts said. The report of the PCB said that they conducted regular study of ten locations in the lake in every month from 2009 March. As per the norms of the Central Pollution Control Board(CPCB), the total coliform(TC) is permissible in the portion of the lake used for bathing, can up to a limit of the count below 500 in 100ml water.In most of the areas in the lake it was above 1500. As per the parameters of the CPCB, the limit of TC in drinking water is below 50. Several residents of the Kuttanad area use the water from the lake for their daily purposes. The KPCB took water samples from the 10 locations - Punnamada, Pathiramanal, upstream and downstream of Thanneermukkam bund, downstream of Mac-dowels company, Padesekharam, near pumping station, Thakazhy, Pulinkunnu and Pallathuruthy. District Green Society (NGO) chairman Thomas Kalappura said, “The increase in the use of pesticides and the waste from houseboats are the main reasons for the pollution.The lake is a source of several people’s livelihood. If the pollution persists, it will lead to imbalance in the eco-system and the fish wealth will be bound to decrease,” Thomas said. KPCB chairman K Sajeevan said, “The PCB is monitoring the pollution in the lake regularly. The PCB had submitted a request to the Central Government to clean the lake.” The government has planned to formulate a Vembanad Lake Conservation Authority.As the initial step, the government has allotted Rs 10 crore for cleaning the lake.To contain the pollution from the house boats the PCB has begun stringent measures, Sajeevan said.PCB environmental engineer K Rajendra Babu said that the PCB had served notice to all houseboat owners to implement sewage treatment plant to dispose of waste from the boats immediately. The Cochin Port Trust was asked not to issue license to houseboats without waste treatment facility.