Mangrove avenue to come up in Kollam

Kollam: In a first of its kind in the country, an ambitious project to save the environment and the dying Ashtamudi lake is on the anvil of Kollam Corporation.

It has given administrative sanction for an 'Ashramam mangrove avenue project' envisaging protection of mangroves in Ashramam area and cleaning the adjacent Ashtamudi lake. According to the project, a mangrove garden will be set up along with implementing a trash trap to clean the lake developing the area into a lung of the busy city.

Mangrove garden

A mangrove garden will be set up in an hectare of land that has turned into a dump yard spanning across the Link road until the boat jetty. Artificial swamps will be created using bamboo poles to construct a triangular shaped mangrove garden. All 16 varieties of mangroves available in the state will be planted in the garden setting up a model to beat natural calamities using mangrove forests. There will also be facilities for studies on the ecosystem of mangroves at the garden providing access into it using environmental-friendly means.

Ashramam area of Ashtamudi Lake has turned out to be the worst affected areas in Kollam with abundance of plastic waste. A majority of these waste flows down to the lake through Manichithodu canal passing through Pullikkada colony. According to the project, a trap will be set up in the opening of the canal to filter out waste materials from entering the lake. A concrete platform will be constructed at the Link road area of the canal and steel poles will be erected to hold umbrella-shaped nylon nets to trap the waste flowing down to the lake. This waste will be periodically collected for recycling and producing bio-waste, it is envisaged.

Kollam Corporation has given administrative sanction of Rs. 46.60 lakh for the project and the initial discussion on it will be held on August 27.