Lok Sabha Question No. 1618 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2018-07-27
Subject: Rejuvenation of Sasthamcotta Lake
Ministry: ENVIRONMENT,  FORESTS AND CLIMATE CHANGE
Asked by: SURESH KODIKUNNIL

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF ENVIRONMENT, FOREST AND CLIMATE CHANGE

## LOK SABHA

## UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 1618

TO BE ANSWERED ON 27.07.2018

## Rejuvenation of Sasthamcotta Lake

## 1618. SHRI KODIKUNNIL SURESH:

Will the Minister of ENVIRONMENT, FOREST AND CLIMATE CHANGE be pleased to state:

- (a) whether the Government has sanctioned amount for rejuvenation of Sasthamcotta fresh water lake in Kerala during the last three years and current year;
- (b) if so, the details thereof;
- (c) whether  the  Government  has  assessed  the  need  of  water  from  Sasthamcotta fresh water lake in Kerala;
- (d) if so, the steps taken by the Government in this regard; and
- (e) whether the Government has any new action plan for the protection and cleaning of fresh water lake at Sasthamcotta in Kerala and if so, the details thereof?

## ANSWER

MINISTER  OF  STATE  IN  THE  MINISTRY  OF  ENVIRONMENT,  FOREST  AND CLIMATE CHANGE (DR. MAHESH SHARMA)

- (a) & (b) No proposal regarding Sasthamcotta lake was received during FY 201516  and  2016-17  from  the  State  Government  of  Kerala.  In  2017-18,  as  a  part  of  the Integrated Management Plan, an Annual Management Action Plan costing Rs.119.25 lakh was submitted by the State Government of Kerala, which was sanctioned on 60:40 funding  pattern  between  Center  and  State  for  conservation  and  management  of Sasthamcotta  freshwater  lake  in  Kerala.  Out  of  the  sanctioned  grant,  an  amount  of Rs.35.775  lakh  being  50%  of  central  share  was  released  for  undertaking  various conservation activities like wetland monitoring & evaluation baseline database management  system,  training  on  integrated  wetland  management,  communication  & outreach,  catchment  conservation,  micro  planning  and  vegetative  measures,  water management, biodiversity conservation and sustainable livelihoods etc during financial year 2017-18 in Sasthamcotta lake.  The entire amount released as central share has been revalidated for the current financial year.

(c) & (d) Sasthamkotta  freshwater  lake  spanning  an  area  of  373  ha  is  located  in Kunnathur Taluk of Kollam District of Kerala. The lake is the principal source of water for nearly 0.5 million people living in Kollam City and its suburbs. Sasthamkotta has a direct drainage basin of 625 ha. Surface run-off from rainfall within this drainage basin, as well direct rainfall on the lake bed constitutes the major sources of inflow. Water from Sasthamkotta is withdrawn by the Kerala Water Authority for drinking water supply to Kollam City and its suburbs. Evaporation from the lake bed also constitutes a significant proportion of water outflow. Present withdrawal of water from Sasthamkotta for Quilon Water Supply Scheme (WSS) is around 30 million litres per day (equivalent to 10.95 Mm 3 ). An additional 33.5 MLD (equivalent to 12.22 Mm 3) is  withdrawn for meeting the water requirements of 4 water supply schemes (WSS for Chavara - Panmana, WSS for Sasthamkotta, Soorand (S) and West Kallada; and  WSS for ThevalakkaraThekkumbhagam).

(e) An  Integrated  Management  Plan  for  conservation  and  management  of Sasthamkotta lake in Kerala at a total cost of Rs. 98.63 crore for a period of five years was  received  during  financial  year  2017-18  from  the  Government  of  Kerala,  which included various activities like institutional development, catchment conservation, water management, biodiversity conservation and  sustainable  livelihoods.  The  Management Plan has been budgeted on the principle of convergence through various development schemes  like Integrated Watershed Development Programme, Atal Mission for Rejuvenation and Urban Transformation, Suchitwa Mission, which can support specific activities.  About  74%  of  the  budget  has  been  estimated  through  convergence  from these  schemes  and  remaining  26%  under  the  'National  Plan  for  Conservation  of Aquatic Ecosystems (NPCA)' scheme of the Ministry.

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