Gateway To Kerala Backwaters A Sewage Dump "Floating With Filth": Report

The condition of the once scenic Ashtamudi lake - the entrance to Kerala's famous backwaters - was described as "very pathetic" to the High Court.

Kerala's once scenic Ashtamudi Lake, described as the gateway to the state's backwaters and preferred by tourists world over for houseboat rides, has become a dump site for sewage which is slowly choking it to death, according to an inspection by the state legal services authority KeLSA on the Kerala High Court's direction.

"Very pathetic" is how the Kerala State Legal Services Authority (KeLSA) report to the High Court describes the condition of the lake spread over an area of around 1,700 sq km, surrounded by swaying coconut groves and palm trees, and spotted by several small islands.

The report also said that sewage from nearby residences and government establishments was the main reason for pollution of the lake and also for putting its unique wetland ecosystem under risk of permanent damage.

According to the Kerala Tourism website, cruises would give a "deeper look at the heart and spirit of the backwaters."