: Concerned by the large-scale exploitation that the Vembanad lake was being subjected to, experts from various fields have sought effective measures to preserve the Ramsar site by evolving a support system.
Several recommendations were raised at the ‘Summit on Hydrology and Ecology of Alappuzha’ organised as part of the 27{+t}{+h}Kerala Science Congress here on Wednesday.
Presiding over the session, E.J. James, former executive director of the Centre for Water Resources Department (CWRDM), lamented that there has not been any scientific proposal for the management of the lake, since 2002 when the water body was included as one among the three Ramsar sites in the State.
He held the view that the Vembanad backwater system and the Alappuzha district must be viewed as a single ecosystem. “A study conducted by the CWRDM had revealed the presence of large quantities of fluoride in the lake. It has also been proved that bacterial contamination in water was highest in the region. A holistic approach was required to preserve the wetland and sustain the source of livelihood of a large number of families residing in the region,” he said.
K.G. Padmakumar, former associate director of research of the Kerala Agricultural University, said that the decimation of mangroves in the name of tourism has been disastrous for the ecology of the region. “Immediate steps must be undertaken to plant mangrove trees along the estuarine belt, which later must be extended to the beaches.” He also stressed on the need for water harvesting structures in Kuttanad to ensure unhindered drinking water supply to the residents.
Speaking on the occasion, K.C. Venugopal, MP, reminded scientists to uphold the social concept in their research works. Sea-erosion was a common phenomenon in the coastal areas for which the scientific community has been unable to find a permanent solution, he pointed out.
Elaborating on the study that had been conducted by IIT-Madras on salinity distributions in Vemabanad a few years ago, K.P. Sudheer, a professor at the department of Civil Engineering of the premier institution, called for an integrated approach that brought together scientists, social scientists, policy-makers, industry experts and practitioners related to agriculture and related fields. A combined effort was required in mitigating the negative impacts of human activities and in improving the sustainability of the lake.
E. Sreekumar, scientist, Rajiv Gandhi Centre for Biotechnology, pointed out that the district was prone to certain emerging infectious diseases such as Japanese encephalitis and West Nile fever as the region was water-logged and was a regular spot for migratory birds.
