KOLLAM: The district committee of Purogamana Kala Sahithya Sangham (Pukasa) is holding a meet on October 13 to discuss the issues affecting the Ashtamudi Lake. The meet at NGO Union Hall here will be inaugurated by poet Kureepuzha Sreekumar and George D’cruz will deliver a speech on the problems of Ashtamudi Lake and its solutions. Later a mass convention is planned at the IT Hall of District Panchayat office.
The organisers said that representatives from the trade union, students union etc could participate in it. Sangham members said that pollution, sand mining and encroachments were the major problems faced by the Lake.
“Untreated wastes from the hospitals and toilet flows into the Lake and pollutes the ecosystem. It is difficult to pass through the Link road without closing one’s nose. Sand mining and Lake encroachment ensured the destruction of mangroves and fauna,” said secretary of Sangham D Sureshkumar.
The President’s Trophy Boat Race was started with the promise of improving the tourism, protection of Lake and overall development of the district.
But so far none of these have been fulfilled, said the Sangham leaders.
They however added that they were not against conducting the boat race but wanted the people’s representatives to act on Lake protection.
N K Premachandran MP, who is also the chairman of the boat race organising committee, said last week that a separate committee under the Additional District Magistrate was asked to prepare a report on Lake conservation. He had said that the report, expected in a month’s time, would be submitted to the State Government for getting Central aid.
