Highlighting the possibility of a severe drought this year, Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan has called for people’s participation in adaptation and mitigation programmes.
Delivering the inaugural address at a workshop on climate change here on Monday, he said the heat wave conditions faced by the State last year and the rainfall deficit during the South West monsoon period portend a severe drought. Pointing out that Kerala was losing the advantage of a moderate climate, he said the relentless assault on Nature was largely responsible for the situation.
Mr.Vijayan said the increasing frequency of drought, floods, untimely rains and the rise in atmospheric temperature had affected agricultural output in Kerala. Vector-borne diseases were on the rise, coastal communities were threatened by the rising sea level and anomalies in sea surface temperature, ocean acidity and marine pollution were affecting fish catch.
Kerala, he said, was staring at the possibility of a socio- economic crisis triggered by climate change.
The Chief Minister stressed the need for public participation in tree planting, waste management and protection of water sources outlined in the Haritha Keralam mission programme launched by the government. Underlining the need to protect wetlands and paddy fields, he said efforts were on to correct the mistakes made in the past.
The State Action Plan on Climate Change would be updated and the Institute of Climate Change Studies (ICCS) strengthened to help the State tackle the crisis.
Additional Chief Secretary (Environment) V.S. Senthil presided over the inaugural function. S. Bahuleyan Thampi, Deputy Director General, India Meteorology Department; M. Chandradathan, Science Adviser to the Chief Minister; Padma Mahandi, Director, Environment and Climate Change; Sekhar L. Kuriakose, member-secretary, State Disaster Management Authority; and George Chackacherry, Director, ICCS were among those who addressed the gathering.
Meanwhile, Minister for Water Resources Mathew T. Thomas said Kerala could face severe water scarcity in the wake of the rainfall deficit during the Southwest and Northeast monsoon seasons. Inaugurating a painting competition for children organised by the Central Ground Water Board, he called for steps to protect water and maintain environmental equilibrium.
Mr.Thomas and Ports Minister Kadanapally Ramachandran later planted saplings in the museum compound.
