Environmental Monitoring and Management plan with regard to dredging operations of the Travancore cements limited, Kottayam, Kerala

The Travancore Cements Limited, a Govt. of Kerala organization based at Nattakom, Kottayam, manufactures mainly white cement using lime shells dredged from different areas of Vembanadu Lake as the main raw material. As the company is facing strong objections due to environmental and ecological problems arising out of dredging, Govt. of Kerala constituted a committee of experts under the Chairmanship of Dr. K. Raveendran, former Director, CIFT, Cochin, to study the impact of dredging. The committee opined that dredging may be continued and recommended for environmental monitoring and management plan. The Travancore Cements Limited requested Centre for Earth Science Studies to study and report about the environmental health concerns due to dredging.

The project monitors the biological, chemical and physical parameters in the dredging area at specified intervals.