CHENNAI: Taking note of untreated sewage is being let into the ecologically sensitive Gulf of Mannar in Ramanathapuram district, the southern bench of National Green Tribunal (NGT) has issued notices to state environment, climate change and forest department, Tamil Nadu Pollution Control Board (TNPCB) and other line departments.

The bench comprising judicial member Justice Pushpa Sathyanarayana and expert member Satyagopal Korlapati took the case suo motu based on reports about sewage discharge. The bench directed the departments to file their replies and reports on the issue and posted the next hearing on February 21.

As per the news report, domestic sewage from Keelakarai municipality has been mixed with seawater of the Gulf of Mannar for several years and the pollution has impacted marine life and livelihood loss to fishermen.

The report also pointed out that before the 1990s, economic activities like pearl fishing and collection of shells were common in the region but due to the pollution, those activities have reduced.