The Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) has informed the National Green Tribunal that the water quality levels at four locations in the Ashtamudi lake in Kollam district were not complying with the norms prescribed under the Primary Water Quality Criteria for Bathing notified under The Environment (Protection) Rules, 1986. In its status report filed before the Principal Bench of the National Green Tribunal in New Delhi on September 11, the CPCB revealed the poor water quality along the locations being monitored by it. It was submitted in response to a suo motu case taken by the tribunal on the basis of The Hindu’sreport. Though the status report did not mention the locations, the four monitoring stations in the Ashtamudi lake under the Central board’s National Water Quality Monitoring Programme for 2023 are at Thoppilkadavu; near KSRTC bus depot; Perumon; and near Kundara ceramics. As per the primary water quality criteria for bathing, the faecal coliform count has to be less than 2,500 MPN/100 mL; faecal streptococci less than 500 MPN/100 mL; pH between 6.5 and 8.5; dissolved oxygen greater than 5 mg/l; and biological oxygen demand less than 3 mg/l. The board informed the tribunal that it has requested the States to identify the sources of pollution, especially at the non-complying locations, and to take necessary measures for improvement of water quality of Ramsar sites. The States have to submit the action taken report to the board. The study had found microplastics in the brackish-water lake’s fish, shellfish, sediment, and water. The highest percentage composition of microplastics was found in the macrofauna, with fish accounting for 19.6% and shellfish 40.9%. It was done by the Department of Aquatic Biology and Fisheries, University of Kerala, with support from the Ecomarine Project co-funded by Erasmus programme of the European Union. Published – September 14, 2024 08:22 pm IST