KOLLAM: Despite the ongoing cleaning efforts under the ‘Jeevananu Ashtamudi, Jeevikkanam Ashtamudi’ initiative by the Kollam corporation, the surroundings of Ashtamudi Lake remain littered with garbage.

The programme, jointly implemented by the corporation and 12 nearby panchayats as part of an urban development project, aims to rejuvenate the backwaters — still sustained waste management continues to be a major challenge.

Although signboards promoting the initiative have been placed along the quays, the area remains strewn with waste. A source with the corporation said CCTV cameras were installed to monitor littering, but most are reportedly non-functional. Key locations such as Olayil Kadavu, Thoppil Kadavu, Mangad Kayalvaram, and Uliyakovil Kadavu continue to be littered.

“Garbage, ranging from plastic bags and bottles, to shoes and helmets, are being dumped into the backwaters at night. The signboard warning — a Rs 5,000 fine for littering — is no longer taken seriously,” said a corporation source.

There are also serious allegations of toilet waste being discharged directly into the lake. Houseboat tourists, too, have been seen throwing food waste and plastic into the water. The mixing of sewage into the lake not only degrades water quality but also threatens the fish population.

“There are laws like the Water (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act, 1974, and the Kerala Irrigation and Water Conservation (Amendment) Act, 2018, to deal with water pollution. Most people are unaware of them and still continue dumping waste near the lake,” the source said.

Meanwhile, Kollam Mayor Honey Benjamin blamed the crisis on a lack of civic sense. “We are committed to taking strict action against the violators. The CCTV installations are ongoing and expected to be completed by the end of July,” the mayor added.