The method being followed now for implementing the Kuttanad package approved by the Union Cabinet on July 24, 2008, gives the impression that it is being done according to political expediency and not according to the priorities envisaged by Dr M.S. Swaminathan.
‘Political interest'
Construction of bunds is not according to priority and those being erected now are in areas where the flood threat is comparatively much less, farmers' groups alleged.
They said bunds are under construction in Taluks such as Vaikom, Kottayam, Changanacherrry, Thiruvalla and Karunagapally which have not been included in the M. S. Swaminathan Research Foundation (MSSRF) recommendations as only a small area of paddy fields comes under Kuttanad.
In fact, priority should have been given to those areas which consistently face the threat of breach of bunds such as Mangalam, Manickyamangalam . These areas were included in the second phase and not in the first phase, Father Thomas Peeliyanickal, Executive Director, Kuttanad Vikasana Samithi (KVS), told
If the MSSRF has earmarked Rs 836 crore for this major component, the State Government has raised it to Rs 3,500-crore mega project for obvious reasons, he said.
Apart from destroying environment and ecology of Kuttanad, it would result in inflicting severe damage to the midland and highlands of the State from where huge volume of granite would be quarried for constructing bunds there.
“Nearly 12 Government departments are concerned with the implementation of the package and each has started proposing its projects without any coordination among those involved,” Father Thomas said.
“Whereas, the Irrigation Department is the only active agency and that is constructing the bunds and they do not seem to have consulted even the Agriculture Department,” he alleged.
The priority given in the MSSRF recommendations was for eco-restoration and flood control, he said.
Main tasks
The main tasks recommended in the package are: protection and ecological restoration of the water spread area; measures for salinity and flood management in Kuttanad; measures for pollution control, total elimination of aquatic weeds, measures for augmenting biodiversity in the backwaters; improving health and sanitation; declaring Kuttanad a Special Agricultural Zone; provide infrastructure support to paddy cultivation; enforce crop calendar; strengthening of research and extension; strengthening economic viability of farming; coconut-based enterprises and integrated farming; actions to promote fishery wealth of Vembanadu Kayal ; promoting fish infrastructure, and infrastructure support to facilitate responsible tourism (under water tourism and local ecology).
For providing infrastructure support to paddy cultivation in the region that is consistently under flood threat and spread over Alappuzha, Kottayam and Pathanamthitta districts by constructing outer bunds, the Foundation has estimated an expenditure of Rs 836 crore.
Against this, the State Government is said to have submitted a Rs 3,500-crore project for constructing the outer bunds covering more areas. The outer bunds on a stretch of 4,000 km if constructed with granite boulders as proposed would require 250 lakh tonnes of granite.
“Dumping of granite boulders here would, apart from destroying the ecological balance of Kuttanad, equally affect negatively the environmental and ecological balance of the area where from it will be quarried,” environmental experts claimed.
In the backwaters, concrete piling and placing concrete slabs in between each pile is the method being used and it is also appears to be against the regions eco system.
Holistic approach
Given this scenario, there should be a holistic approach. Instead of using granite boulders, use of natural vegetation along with clay has to be explored. Geo-textiles, growing vetivars, grass and other suitable vegetations on clay bunds would help conserve the ecology of the wetland system of Kuttanad, he said.