Backwater tourism sites under watch for ‘alarming’ pollution

Panel moots provision for proper waste disposal in houseboats

An action plan is being worked out to check the worsening pollution of waterbodies caused by unscientific waste management practices in backwater tourism sites based on the recommendations by the Subject Committee on Forest, Environment and Tourism. The Local Self-Government Department has asked departments and agencies concerned to submit a progress report on the findings and recommendations of the committee submitted to the government in January. The report termed the finding that nearly 36% of the waterbodies in the State has been polluted as ‘alarming’. Thiruvananthapuram, Kollam, Alappuzha, Kottayam, Ernakulam, Thrissur, Malappuram and Kasaragod were the districts having major backwater tourism sites. On the inference that houseboats were a major source of pollution, the committee had asked the Local Self-Government Department and the Pollution Control Board to carry out stringent checks in houseboats. The guidelines on classification of houseboats must include proper waste disposal as a key provision, it said.