ALAPPUZHA: A whopping 40 percent of the Vembanad Lake has been encroached upon by private parties and most encroachments happened in the past 15 years. The stark revelation was made in a study conducted by the People’s Commission on Vembanad Ecosystem (PCVE), constituted by the Kerala Sasthra Sahithya Parishad. The deposit of sediments has reduced the depth of the lake, raising the urgency for protection of its ecosystem.
The seven-member PCVE constituted in 2013 with economist Prabhat Patnaik as its chairman, submitted its report to the state government on Saturday. The report gains attention amid raging controversies over the alleged encroachments of Transport Minister Thomas Chandy in Kuttanad and encroachments of the lake by Grater Cochin area.
“Protecting the Vembanad ecosystem will require fundamental changes in its mode of governance. Though policies and legislation exist, and more environment-friendly technologies are available, we have seen no tangible improvement in the situation,” the report cited.
While the extent and the depth of the lake are declining, poor waste management and ineffective implementation of pollution control rules have made the reversal of this trend near impossible.
Despite having strong legislation, soaring real estate prices have led to the conversion and appropriation of public land by private parties, it pointed out.
“The area of the lake has decreased by 40 per cent. The average depth of the lake is now 3.5 m. The fish wealth has drastically depleted and the structure has changed due to changes in the flow of the lake.
The quantum of solid and liquid waste discharge into the lake has increased and it has reduced the carrying capacity of the lake.
Main challenges
Several islands, rich with mangroves and filtration ponds, have been swallowed up by large investors
While stringent rules and regulations exist, poor implementation has defeated the purpose
Management of the Thanneermukkom bund has been inefficient, aggravating environmental degradation, especially south of the bund
Poor coordination of disparate activities of different agencies, each pursuing their narrow objective, has been identified as another major challenge
Increased use of fertilisers to enhance agricultural productivity, focusing on improving production failed to take into account the long-term repercussions
Remedies recommended
Establish an authority - Vembanad Lake Management Authority - to take full control over the management of lake
Demarcate the lake boundary and remove all encroachments
Empower local community to monitor wetlands
Prohibit the development of new resorts and stop giving permits to new houseboats
Ensure all resorts and hotels adhere to environmental regulations
Ensure the natural hydrology is not interrupted through any interventions
The operation of the Thanneermukkam Bund needs to be improved and closure should be limited to an absolute minimum
Put in place a mechanism to monitor and regulate land transactions
Shift to organic farming, reduce the dependence on pesticides and organic fertilisers. Increased costs on account of such shift should be borne by the government
Adhere to an agri calendar
Regulate fishing and ensure no unsustainable fishing is taking place
Involve local residents in tourism development and ensure they reap the benefits of emerging opportunities