Tamil Nadu: New boathouse shut down after sewage discharged into Ooty lake

After the Kodaikanal-Unilever controversy, it now seems to be the turn of the Ooty lake. On Wednesday, the new boat house that was launched had to be shut down because of the unbearable stench from sewage in the lake.

According to a report in The Hindu, sewage had been illegally discharged into the lake. The Regional Manager of Tamil Nadu Tourism Development Corporation (TTDC), G Sankar has stated this is the first time in many years that this had happened. The sewage water will now need to be drained from the lake.

Boating in the lake will resume from Thursday if draining of the lake is complete. 

A team from Tamil Nadu Tourism Development Corporation, Tamil Nadu Pollution Control Board, the Water Resource Department of the Public Works Department, Tamil Nadu Water and Drainage Board, Tamil Nadu Generation and Distribution Corporation and the Udhagamandalam Municipality will launch a joint probe into the matter.

Pollution in the Ooty Lake has been a major concern for some time now. Investigation is now on as to who could have discharged the sewage into the lake. There are many commercial buildings around the lake.