The Kollam Corporation will constitute an Ashtamudi Protection Committee and devise an action plan to conserve the Ramsar site and address the issues related to pollution and encroachment.
According to Finance Minister K.N. Balagopal, a portion of the ₹50 crore set aside in the State Budget for the protection of waterbodies can be used for this.
“Compared to other backwaters, the presence of pollutants is less in Ashtamudi Lake. While ensuring the water flow, measures should be taken to maintain the piscean wealth,” he said at an online meeting convened by the Corporation on Wednesday.
The authorities are planning to launch a comprehensive programme to protect the lake and removing the garbage and weeds will be a priority.
“A popular movement should be formed for Ashtamudi,” said the Minister.
Mayor Prasanna Earnest said a committee will be formed in consultation with the State government.
“As part of preparing the action plan, a technical workshop will be held on August 10,” she said.
Kollam MP, N.K.Premachandran sought a nodal agency for lake rejuvenation and he said that possible funds will be released for the same.
“Projects tapping the tourism potential of the lake should be considered and the help of Non-Resident Indians can be sought for that,” said NoRKA-Roots chairman K.Varadarajan.
State Human Rights Commission had decided to convene a high-level meeting to protect the lake following reports of rampant waste dumping. Commission member V.K. Beenakumari had visited the stretch of the lake near the Kollam KSRTC bus stand last week and instructed the authorities to clean the canal that routes plastic waste to the lake.
Scientific measures to process waste and the formation of an official body based on various studies are other suggestions that came up during the meeting. The Corporation decided to go forward with various activities focussing on lake clearing, protection and conservation of biodiversity.
Deputy mayor Kollam Madhu, district panchayat president Sam K. Daniel, political leaders, environmentalists and District Tourism Promotion Council (DTPC) officials also attended the meeting.