In Malayalam, Kole roughly translates to ‘bumper yield’. The Kole wetlands located in Kerala’s Thrissur and Mallapuram districts spans about 13,500 hectares, merging with Vembanand, India’s largest lake, thus nurturing one of the most biologically diverse ecosystems in South Asia.
Certified as a Ramsar Site — an international convention that mandates the protection of wetlands across the world — the Kole ecosystem supports the third largest population of waterfowl in India during winter. It is also an important stopover in the Central Asian-Indian Flyway, which is the migratory route of birds that fly south from Siberia in the winter months.
In Kole, rice cultivation and fishing are the traditional economic activities, both of which are under threat due to the increasing population. Spreading out from cities like Thrissur, the pressure of population has resulted in vast swathes being converted into housing sites here.
The fields have also been subdivided and fragmented umpteen times, hence hindering rice cultivation. Fishing too has suffered, with a nexus of a profit-driven, capital-intensive system that is driving away the traditional fishing communities in the area. Current models of fishing pollute the wetlands, making it even more difficult for farmers who cultivate crops, such as paddy, on the banks.
Some positives though are that after decades of rampant pollution, there is awareness now among the locals about the slow demise of the wetlands. The state government offers incentives for organic farming and other eco-friendly systems too, in the hope that this most beautiful part of the state does not get destroyed due to human apathy.
Photos by KK Mustafah