Kerala authorities have identified more than 720 illegal sewage outlets discharging untreated wastewater into natural streams and water bodies across Ernakulam, Kollam, Alappuzha, and Kottayam districts.
The sewage entered water bodies through 39 public drains, causing serious pollution risks for aquatic ecosystems and surrounding communities.
Ernakulam recorded 671 outlets, significantly higher than Kollam and Kottayam with 18 each, and Alappuzha with 16. These outlets were mainly linked to residential and commercial premises lacking proper sewage-treatment measures.
Authorities have shut the illegal outlets and initiated legal action under the Water (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act, 1974, and the Kerala Municipality (Amendment) Act, 2024.
Enforcement agencies have issued thousands of notices and imposed penalties, including ₹1.09 crore by Thiruvananthapuram Corporation and ₹69.8 lakh by Kochi Corporation, underscoring the scale of sewage-management violations across the state.
