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Conservation of natural stock of fish and other aquatic life is themost important way to sustain the
Ashtamudi estuary for present and future generation of dependent people. The Wild Life (protection)
Act of India (1972) provides legal protection to many aquatic animals.
Chapter 4 of this Act, dealing with sanctuaries, National parks, game reserves and closed areas is equally
applicable to marine reserve and marine parks. It is proposed to establish a marine bio reserve at the
upper part of the Ashtamudi estuary which would be helpful for the lost habitats of true residential and
migratory fishes such as Etroplus suratensis, Scatophagus argus, Ehirava fluvialis and can serve as an
undisturbed spawning area, where by the depleted stocks can be recovered in the estuary.
Marine Bio Reserves are zone where no fishing is allowed and fish stocks are maintained. They provide
sustainable longevity of the inland fishing industry, renewable fish stocks and an important research
focus. Total out lay of the proposal is 200 lakh rupees. The suggested locations are at Ashtamudi lake
region of Munro Island, Panayam and Perayam as shown in Figure 3.4.
The Marine bio reserve will be established in an area of about 2 sq. km at the upper Kayal region of the
Ashtamudi lake in and around the peeyamthuruth (palliyam thuruth) situated in the middle of Perumon
Kayal from where mud is excavated for the construction of railway bridges. This thuruth will be the base
station for the proposal with kayal patrolling facilities. The proposal will be implemented by Fisheries
department in association with FIRMA, HED, LSGS, Water Transport Dept. etc and with the support of
Forest Department.
It is suggested that the proposal for Ashtamudi lake tourism circuit and a circuit by passing the marine
bio reserve area of tourism sector shall be suitably modified such that, boat traffic and fishing activities
will not be permitted here. The boundaries will be marked by fixing end posts and the area will be kept
undisturbed using fish aggregating devices.
The dominating deleterious effect resulting from the disposal of sewage to rivers and estuaries is that of
O2 depletion.
This sometimes led to eutrophication and associated problems. In Kollam district there are over 10000
kayal latrines on the banks of Kayamkulam lake, Karunagapally Vattakayal, T.S. canal,Ashtamudi estuary,
Kollam thodu, Paravur kayal and Edava Nadayara kayal. All these kayal latrines should be removed and
replaced with pucca septic tanks. So a total sanitation scheme for the residents near the bank of these
water bodies is proposed. The LSGIs included are Alappad, Neendakara,
Chavara, Thekkumbhagom, Thevalakkara, Thrikkaruva, Panayam, Munro- Island, Paravoor, Mayyanad,
Trikkadavoor, Kollam, W.Kallada, Perayam, Karunagapally, Clappana, K.S.Puram, E.Kallada, Poothakkulam,
Adichanalloor and Panmana.
Dredging of Backwater
The depth of the Ashtamudi estuary, shows a decreasing trend during the past decades. The reduction in
depth is mostly brought about by the deforestation activities taking place at the catchment areas,
siltation, sediment deposition due to change in water current and current velocity, dredging of the sub
fossil deposits etc. Large scale extraction of water from the rivers for the purpose of agriculture,
irrigation, etc have resulted in the drying up of Kallada river during summer months whereby a steady
elimination in the fish wealth have taken place due to the habitat loss.
In order to maintain proper depth in the backwaters dredging out of the already deposited sand/mud is
essential. Immediately after that it is essential to dredge out about 100 cubic meters of sand / mud from
the estuary.
Though fairly good patches of mangroves are seen towards the inner corridors of the estuary
(Kayamkulam Lake) 300 m away from the coastline, mangroves are absent along the shoreline. In the
Ayiram Thengu area, mangroves are restricted to a small preserves (4-5 ha area) dominated by
Lumnitzera racemosa, Rhizophora mucronata,Avicennia marina and Aegiceras corniculatum. Other lake
shores are devoid of mangroves, though occasional mangrove elements are found distributed here and
there and they may not qualify to be considered as a normal mangrove stand. From the environmental
Kollam is rich in aquatic bio reserve comprising of Lakshadweep sea in the west, two of the only three
Ramsar sites in the State viz. Ashtamudi back water and
Edava-Nadayara kayals and a number of fairly large and small size kayals and ponds like Thodiyur
Vattakayal, Maruthady Vattakayal, Kanetti kayal etc.
l Ashtamudi Backwater:
One of the Ramser sites in the district, the Ashtamudi back waters, has an area of 34 sq.kmand is
subjected to abuse in many ways in the environmental point of view.
Special thrust is given to the backwater by earmarking it into the Aqua-Bio Reserve Zone. For saving the
backwater from quality deterioration mainly due to pollution the following proposals are put forward.
The conservation of Ashtamudi back waters include prevention of direct discharge of waste water
through public drains of Kollam Corporation, providing effluent treatment plants for sea food
preprocessing plants (peeling sheds), conversion of hanging toilets to eco san toilets / bio toilets, water
quality monitoring of Ashtamudi lake and modernization of coconut husk retting units.
Prevention of direct discharge of waste water through public drains of Kollam Corporation
Most of the hotels, restaurants, hospitals, clinics, markets and other establishments consuming water
are discharging the waste water directly or indirectly into theAshtamudi lake. Indirect method is mainly
through storm water drains and nullahs maintained by LSGIs. It is envisaged to prevent such discharges
completely by 2009. The suggested location is at Kollam Corporation.
Providing effluent treatment plants for Sea food preprocessing plants(peeling sheds)
There are about 50 numbers of fish processing units in Kavanad, Neendakara and Sakthikulangara
area.Most of the solid and liquid wastes are directly entering the lake as there are no treatment facilities.
Providing the minimum required treatment for such preprocessing units for meeting the standards by
2010 is envisaged. The suggested locations are at Kollam
panchayats.
Ashtamudi Lake
up.
Modernization of Coconut husk
retting units