The penalty is levied per the ‘polluter pays principle’, the tribunal noted
The National Green Tribunal (NGT), in March 2023, imposed a penalty of Rs 10 crore on the Kerala government for failing to protect the Vembanad and Ashtamudi lakes, which are included in the Ramsar list of wetlands.
The Principal bench in New Delhi, chaired by Adarsh Kumar Goel, noted that the penalty levied per the ‘polluter pays principle’ should be deposited in a ring-fenced account. The amount to be utilised under the chief secretary’s authority must be employed for conservation or restoration measures, the tribunal said.
Read more: NGT probe into cruise operating in Bhopal Ramsar wetland
The NGT was responding to a petition calling for remedial action to protect the two sites. The wetlands, which provided refuge for a wide variety of vegetation and wildlife as well as migratory birds, had become polluted drains due to the dumping of pharmaceutical waste, plastic waste, household waste, and slaughterhouse waste, said the petitioner.
“The State cannot plead helplessness in implementing guaranteed rights of the citizens and also in taking stringent measures for the protection of environment,” the NGT stated.
In accordance with the tribunal’s prior directives, the state’s additional chief secretary filed an action-taken report on March 21. The document pictured a “disappointing state of affairs in doing the mandatory duty of protecting wetlands.”
The two wetlands have long been susceptible to massive encroachments, pollution and depletion of ecosystems.
“The condition of Vembanad lake deserves more attention. Water quality here is very low, with deficient levels of oxygen,” said Rafiha Afi, a resident of Kochi.
A recent study by the Kerala University of Fisheries and Ocean Studies noted the Vembanad lake’s water retention capacity to have decreased by 85 per cent in the last 120 years due to huge encroachment and devastation of its ecology.
The report suggested that the state government develop a master plan to address the challenges of pollution, flooding and drought in the wetland and associated ecosystems.
The storage capacity of the wetland decreased to 387.87 million cubic metres in 2020 from 2,617.5 million cubic metres in 1900. The research pitched extensive shrinking of the ecosystem as the reason for this sharp dip.
“Our fisheries, biodiversity, and even tourism are closely connected with that of the backwaters as they are in constant exchange with the sea. Actions should be taken to address the situation,” Afi added.
The report warned that large portions of Vembanadu, Kerala’s largest wetland ecosystem, would soon vanish if things continue as they are.
Read more: East Kolkata Wetlands: NGT warns officials for violating waste dumping norms
Ashtamudi lake, home to several plant and bird species, was included in the Ramsar list on August 19, 2002. Since then, little has been done to safeguard the site, which is of international importance.
However, in March this year, Kerala Legislative Assembly’s Environment Committee listed several proposals, including the formation of the Ashtamudi Wetland Management Authority, to protect the site.
On receiving various complaints, the committee visited the lake and nearby areas which reported significant amounts of waste accumulation, including the Kollam KSRTC stop, Kureepuzha garbage treatment plant, and Sambranikodi.
The document, tabled on March 17, suggested categorising regions near the lake based on water quality and publishing monthly results.
It also recommended immediate regulations to control unlawful demolition and dumping of boats in the lake.
The committee directed the state pollution control board to check the coliform bacteria and oxygen levels in the lake every three months.
Sambranikodi, a mangrove-covered island created by dredged sand nearly 400 metres off the coast, is one of the district’s main tourism sites. The committee has also suggested a study to determine the effect of tourism here on the natural backwater ecosystem.
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The two wetlands, Vembanad and Ashtamudi, have long been susceptible to massive encroachments, pollution and depletion of ecosystems. Representative photo: iStock..png)
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