A survey of waterbodies in Ernakulam district under the aegis of the District Literacy Mission has found most waterbodies, including ponds and canals, polluted and unusable. The study, released early this week, said that ponds formed close to 50% of waterbody sources surveyed.
Waterbodies in a total of 161 wards under various local bodies in the district were surveyed by literacy mission teams comprising a total of 2,182 members.
They evaluated the condition of 161 ponds, 13 river stretches, 143 canals, and backwaters.
The blocks and local bodies surveys included the Cochin Corporation and Kalamassery and Thripunithura municipalities.
According to the study, 58% of ponds are unusable, and 26% of them are partially polluted. Only 16% of ponds were found suitable for use.
Around 61% of canals surveyed were not usable; 21% of them were partially polluted. Only 18% of canals were found usable.
Industrial factor
The most polluted waterbodies were located close to industrial establishments. Unmitigated human interventions like construction activities and changes in topography are the factors affecting the quality of the waterbodies, the study said. Moreover, they have blocked the free flow of the waterbodies besides polluting them.
The survey found that both removal of rubble and “uncontrolled” filling up had caused serious damage to waterbodies, while lack of specific protection plans, lack of protective features like walls, seepage of pollutants from industrial areas, unscientific construction of bridges and culverts, and granite quarrying were also responsible for their deteriorating condition.
Electronic waste and unbridled destruction of mangroves too pose serious threats to the quality of waterbodies, the survey said.