• Authorities have initiated preliminary steps to demolish the illegally constructed villas of Kapico Kerala Resorts Private Limited on Nediyathuruthu island in Vembanad Lake.
About:
• Vembanad (Vembanad Kayal or Vembanad Kol) is the longest lake in India and the largest lake in the state of Kerala.
• With an area of 2033 square kilometres, it is the second largest Ramsar site in India only after the Sundarbans in West Bengal.
• Spanning several districts in Kerala, it is known as Vembanadu Lake in Kottayam, Punnamada Lake in Alappuzha and Kochi Lake in Kochi.
• Several groups of small islands including Vypin, Mulavukad, Vallarpadam, Willingdon Island are located in the Kochi Lake portion. Kochi Port is built around the Willingdon Island and the Vallarpadam island.
• The Nehru Trophy Boat Race is conducted in a portion of the lake.
• The Government of India has identified the Vembanad wetland under the National Wetlands Conservation Programme.
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Mains Paper 3: Environment
Prelims level: Vembanad Lake
Mains level: Environment Impact assessment
