Vattakkayal

Water quality problems have continuous increase around the world because of increased population growth and associated industrial activities. The presence of high levels of pollutants in natural water systems is of major concern because of their potential threats to both human and ecosystem health. Water resources in Kerala have been under increasing threat of pollution in recent years. This is due to inappropriate planning of human settlements that lack suitable sanitary infrastructure, as well as other human activities, including farming activities located very close to water bodies. Studies showed that Vattakkayal is heavily polluted. Vattakkayal hosts a number of freshwater fish species. If the quantum of pollution status of the lake persists like this or increases, the quality of water, fishes and other biota of the lake will get deteriorated to a greater magnitude, becoming a serious threat to mankind. The depletion and declining trend of fish population will adversely affect the fishery economy as it has commercial value and inturn will affect the local fisherman community being their major livelihood.