Vembanad and Ashtamudi

Why in news?

• The National Green Tribunal (NGT) has 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.

About Vembanad Lake:

• It is the longest lake in India.
• The lake is situated at sea level and is separated from the Laccadive Sea by a narrow barrier island.
• The lake is also known as Punnamada Lake (in Kuttanad) and Kochi Lake (in Kochi).
• Vallam Kali (or Nehru Trophy Boat Race) is a Snake Boat Race held every year in the month of August in Vembanad Lake.
• In 2002, the lake was included in the list of wetlands of international importance, as defined by the Ramsar Convention.
  • It is the second-largest Ramsar site in India, only after the Sunderbans in West Bengal.
• The Kumarakom Bird Sanctuary is located on the east coast of the lake.
• The unique characteristic of the lake is the Thanneermukkom saltwater barrier.
  • It was constructed as a part of the Kuttanad Development Scheme to prevent tidal action and intrusion of saltwater into the Kuttanad low-lands.

About Ashtamudi Lake:

• Ashtamudi Lake is a backwater lake located in Kerala. The lake is also called the gateway to the backwaters of Kerala.
• The importance of Ashtamudi Kayal dates back to the times of the Romans and Phoenicians in the 14th century. It was considered as one of the most important ports among the five ports used for Chinese trade.
• Kallada River is a major river discharging into the Ashtamudi Lake.
• There is a famous island in this lake called Munroe island.
  • It is a group of eight small islands in this lake.
• Another island called Chavara south is rich in minerals.

PRACTICE QUESTION:

UPSC 2022

Consider the following pairs:

      Wetland              : Lake Location

1.    Hokera Wetland  : Punjab

2.   Renuka Wetland  : Himachal Pradesh

3.   Rudrasagar Lake  :  Tripura

4.   Sasthamkotta Lake : Tamil Nadu

How many pairs given above are correctly matched ?

(a) Only one pair

(b) Only two pairs

(c) Only three pairs

(d) All four pairs

Answer