Ashtamudi Lake - Deterioration of The Lake Environment

Deterioration of The Lake Environment

The following are reported to be the reasons for deterioration of the lake environment:

  1. Intense anthropogenic pressure.
  2. Oil spills from thousands of fishing boats and from industries in the surrounding area.
  3. Dwindling of the fragile lake zone due to conversion/destruction of natural habitats for development purposes (reported that the lake which had an area of 54 km2 according to old survey reports has shrunk to 34 km2 due to encroachments)
  4. Large quantities of untreated sewage, disposal of human excreta, and the pollution from paper mills, industries (aluminum, ceramics, seafood), as well as from coconut husk retting.
  5. Many fish species may have become extinct due to lack of spawning facilities on the banks of the lake due to canalization of the lake’s banks by walls built of laterite and granite stones (these walls reportedly cover 80 per cent of the lake's banks)

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