Urbanisation in the region has resulted in the Vembanad Lake facing gradual destruction. A study conducted by the People’s Commission on the Vembanad Ecosystem, constituted by the Kerala Sasthra Sahithya Parishad (KSSP), has called for immediate popular intervention to prevent further degradation of the largest lake in the State.
Chaired by former vice chairman of the State Planning Board Prabhat Patnaik, the panel included K.G. Padmakumar, Srikumar Chattopadhyay, P. Leelakrishnan, T.V. Anna Mercy and M.G. Radhakrishnan as its members. The commission’s member-secretary C.T.S. Nair, a former executive vice-president of Kerala State Council for Science, Technology and Environment, presented the preliminary report of the study at the annual meet of the KSSP. The study has found that with limited per capita resource availability, Vembanad has been witnessing a great competition for the available resources. This was partly owing to the high population density of over 4,000 per sq.km. in the region. Being the confluence of several water bodies, the Vembanad Lake has been witnessing an accumulation of waste materials in recent times. In addition, tourism activities have also increased the pressure upon the water body.
The panel has also held the administrative machinery responsible for the existing situation of the Vembanad ecosystem. Policies that have been implemented without sufficient study and lack of foresight have had consequences. Moreover, there has been no dedicated effort to prevent the rampant violations of the Coastal Regulation Zone (CRZ) guidelines.
The report also pointed out that several studies have been conducted in the region over the years. The people’s commission has urged the government to avoid squandering further time for such activities and to initiate the necessary action without delay.
The panel said collective responsibility was required on the part of local residents and those depending upon the Vembanad for livelihood for preserving the ecosystem. Prime importance must be ensured for careful maintenance of the ecologically-sensitive region.
