Vembanad Lake

Vembanad Lake

Subject – Environment

Context – Maradu: Lapses in removal of demolition debris raised

Concept –

• Vembanad, also known as Punnamada is the longest lake in India, as well as the largest lake in the state of Kerala.
• It is the second largest Ramsar site in India only after the Sunderbans in West Bengal.

Spanning several districts in the state of Kerala, it is known as Vembanadu Lake in Kottayam, Vaikom, Changanassery, Punnamada Lake in Alappuzha, Punnappra, Kuttanadu and Kochi Lake in Kochi.

Kuttanad, also known as The Rice Bowl of Kerala, has the lowest altitude in India, and is also one of the few places in world where cultivation takes place below sea level. Kuttanad lies on the southern portion of Vembanad.

The Nehru Trophy Boat Race is conducted in a portion of the lake.

The lake has its source in four rivers, Meenachil, Achankovil, Pampa and Manimala.

It is separated from the Arabian Sea by a narrow barrier island and is a popular backwater stretch in Kerala.

The Government of India has identified the Vembanad wetland under the National Wetlands Conservation Programme.

In 2019, Willingdon Island, a seaport located in the city of Kochi, was carved out of Vembanad Lake.

One of the most outstanding features of this lake is the 1252 m long saltwater barrier, Thanneermukkom, which was built to stop saltwater intrusion into Kuttanad.