Kollam’s Ashtamudi Lake Still Suffers Waste Woes Despite Rejuvenation Push
Despite months of civic efforts under a flagship rejuvenation campaign, Kollam’s Ashtamudi Lake remains choked with solid waste, plastic, and untreated sewage. The ongoing “Jeevananu Ashtamudi, Jeevikkanam Ashtamudi” clean-up programme has struggled to bring measurable change, even as surveillance systems and public warning signs remain largely ineffective. As one of Kerala’s major Ramsar-listed lakes, Ashtamudi continues to face mounting threats from littering, night-time dumping, and poor civic compliance, raising serious concerns about environmental degradation and health hazards.
The clean-up initiative, implemented by the Kollam Municipal Corporation and 12 nearby panchayats, aimed to restore the ecological health of the lake under an integrated urban development project. However, even with signboards warning of fines and CCTV cameras set up to deter dumping, key points like Olayil Kadavu, Uliyakovil Kadavu, and Mangad Kayalvaram remain riddled with waste. Sources from the civic administration admit that most surveillance systems are either non-functional or yet to be activated. Violators routinely dump plastic bags, bottles, shoes, and even helmets into the lake during the night, taking advantage of the lack of monitoring. In several cases, warnings about fines have become symbolic rather than enforceable. Moreover, civic workers have flagged challenges in collecting and processing waste from lake-facing households, many of which allegedly discharge toilet waste directly into the water. This unregulated discharge continues to degrade water quality, jeopardising aquatic life and exposing communities to health risks.
Beyond illegal dumping, the unchecked disposal of food waste and plastic by houseboat tourists has worsened the lake’s condition. Civic officials say waste inflows have begun affecting oxygen levels in the water, endangering the fish population and, in turn, threatening the livelihoods of Kollam’s traditional fisherfolk. Environmental observers have called attention to the failure to effectively implement the Water (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act, 1974, and the Kerala Irrigation and Water Conservation (Amendment) Act, 2018. While regulations exist, public awareness is low and community engagement minimal. Without stronger enforcement, these laws remain toothless. Experts have also warned that without comprehensive waste segregation, real-time pollution tracking, and grassroots involvement, isolated clean-up efforts will remain insufficient. Community groups have demanded an increase in garbage collection drives and installation of functional monitoring equipment. They argue that without sustained civic pressure and administrative will, Kollam risks losing one of its most iconic water bodies.
Ashtamudi Lake’s continuing degradation reflects a deeper failure of waste governance, urban planning, and citizen responsibility. While clean-up efforts mark an important step, the lack of systemic follow-through threatens to undermine the initiative’s goals. Authorities need to ensure that surveillance systems are fully operational, enforce fines consistently, and sensitise the public about the ecological and legal consequences of pollution. Experts argue that the protection of Ashtamudi is not only about restoring a lake but about safeguarding a community’s culture, economy, and environmental future. Without coordinated and committed action, Kollam could soon lose a backwater jewel to preventable neglect.
