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Kerala Govt Forms Wetland Unit After Court's Ashtamudi Warning
8 Jan
Summary
- State government formed Ashtamudi Wetland Management Unit on Jan 7.
- Court mandated unit to combat pollution and environmental threats.
- District Collector chairs the unit, following a July 2025 order.
The Kerala government has issued an order to establish the Ashtamudi Wetland Management Unit, a critical step towards addressing pollution and environmental threats to the Kollam district's vital wetland. This action follows the Kerala High Court's expressed dissatisfaction with the delay in its constitution. The order, dated January 7, designates the District Collector as the chairperson, fulfilling a July 2025 court mandate. A contempt plea was filed by a lawyer alleging non-compliance with previous directives aimed at conserving the Ashtamudi wetland.
The Ashtamudi lake, designated a Ramsar site in 2002, has faced severe pollution, encroachments, and siltation, drastically reducing its area and depth. Reports from the Kerala Legislative Assembly's Committee on Environment and the Kerala State Pollution Control Board have highlighted significant health risks due to poor waste management, including open defecation and direct discharge of toilet waste into the waterbody. This environmental degradation threatens mangrove forests and crucial fish-breeding grounds, jeopardizing the livelihoods of local fishers.
