Ashtamudi Lake Water Quality Unsafe for Bathing

Ashtamudi Lake Water Quality Unsafe for Bathing

• Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) reports unsafe water quality in four Ashtamudi Lake areas in Kollam, Kerala.
• The water quality levels are not in compliance with the Primary Water Quality Criteria for Bathing notified under The Environment (Protection) Rules, 1986.
• The CPCB’s status report was submitted to the National Green Tribunal in response to a suo motu case based on The Hindu’s report.
• Monitoring stations are located at Thoppilkadavu, near KSRTC bus depot, Perumon, and near Kundarara ceramics.
• The board has requested the States to identify pollution sources and improve water quality at non-complying locations.
• The study found microplastics in the brackish-water lake’s fish, shellfish, sediment, and water, with fish accounting for 19.6% and shellfish 40.9%.