KUTTANADU PACKAGE

Distress to Disaster

KERALA SASTRA SAHITHYA PARISHAD, ALAPPUZHAKERALA SASTRA SAHITHYA PARISHAD, ALAPPUZHA

ONGOING CONSTRUCTIONS

Upsets the priority set by the

commission

� Pillar slab and granite outer

bunds in total disregard of the

fragile ecosystem

KUTTANADU PACKAGE

Distress to Disaster

bunds in total disregard of the

fragile ecosystem

� Constructions further shrink

the flood plane , block canal,

drainages

� Neither concerned about eco

restoration, nor worried about

expanding livelihood

opportunities

Terms of Reference

KUTTANADU

Den of Distress

• Kuttanadu has become den of distress due to

man- made crisis created on ecology,

agriculture, livelihoods and alternate options-

commissioncommission

• Ecological decay, economic entropy, livelihood

loss and social sedations are being

experienced under the development paradigms

characterised by inappropriate options-

commission

• First and foremost challenge is eco restoration.

Forward movement in productivity, profitability

and sustainability- issues of high priority.

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The 15 tasks set by the commission

A- Strengthening ecological

security.

1. Protection and restoration of

water spread area.

2. Salinity, flood management.2. Salinity, flood management.

3. Pollution control

4. Elimination of aquatic weeds

5. Augmenting bio- diversity in

back waters

6. Improving health and

sanitation

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The 15 tasks set by commission

B –Expanding sustainable livelihood security

B1-Agri based livelihood

7. SAZ

8. Infrastructure support for 8. Infrastructure support for

paddy cultivation

9. Crop calendar

10. Research and extension

11. Economic viability

12. coconut based

enterprises and

integrated farming

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The 15 tasks set by commission

B –Expanding sustainable

livelihood security

B2-Inland fisheries based livelihoodlivelihood

13. Actions to promote fishery

wealth of vembanadu kayal

14. Promoting Fisheries

infrastruture, capacity and

fishermen welfare

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The 15 tasks set by commission

B –Expanding sustainable livelihood security

B 3- Water Tourism in Kuttanadu Ecology

15. Infrastructure

support to

facilitate tourism

Nursing and nurturing an abused eco

system back to health is fundamental to

revival and expansion of livelihood –

Commission.

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Ecological Disaster

Flood & Salinity Management

• Modernization of TSB, TSW.

Permanent regulators in place of

orumuttus.

• Removal of blocks in rivers and

canals.canals.

• Roads and other public works have

violated environmental norms and

cause of serious concern.

• Construction of two new canals

between C&D blocks and rani&chithira

with required depth and width to

facilitate egress of flood water from

tharisu kayal to V kayal.

Ecological Disaster

� Aggressive water pollution and water

seeds.

� Low salinity in vembanadu proves to be

disastrous.

Loss of bio diversity. Substantial decline in � Loss of bio diversity. Substantial decline in

species diversity, population diversity of

flora and fauna due to low salinity, growth

of water weeds and developmental

initiatives.

� 23 species of fish lost. Preventing

migration of 13 species. 33% decline in

bird population . Brought in predatory

birds.

� Ecological disaster is

boomeranging on human health.

� Blocked water ways breeding

ground for mosquitoes.

� Increasing rodent , reptile

population.

� Revival of existing ponds , canal

system are recommended.

� 80% depends contaminated canal

water for daily needs.

Alleviation of Agricultural Disaster

•• Paddy declined from 60921ha in 1967 to37624 in 2003.Paddy declined from 60921ha in 1967 to37624 in 2003.

•• A linear projection leads to the total elimination of paddy in A linear projection leads to the total elimination of paddy in

ktnd by 2020ktnd by 2020

•• High cost of production , low prices and exploitative markets High cost of production , low prices and exploitative markets •• High cost of production , low prices and exploitative markets High cost of production , low prices and exploitative markets

are the reasons for sharp decline are the reasons for sharp decline

•• Recurring exp. on infrastructure, outer bund , contribute to Recurring exp. on infrastructure, outer bund , contribute to

the high cost the high cost ((surprisingly commission calculates it to be surprisingly commission calculates it to be

between 10%between 10%--20% only whereas the labor cost is 6020% only whereas the labor cost is 60-- 74 %. 74 %.

Nor the spiraling fertilizer, pesticide cost has been Nor the spiraling fertilizer, pesticide cost has been

considered. Net result, the entire thrust has been on outer considered. Net result, the entire thrust has been on outer

bund construction bund construction ))

Other Recommendations to

Alleviate Agricultural Distress

Division of larger polders.

Regulation of salt water

intrusion.

De-silting and renovation of

irrigation and drainage streams irrigation and drainage streams

(De- siltation shall be done

sometime after granite pitching

and then the bunds will collapse

on de-siltation and the process

will continue !!)

New crop calendar and so many

good things such as 1P-1F, labor

bank, group farming etc (but the

present package is packed with

outer bund construction)

Special Agricultural Zone

(SAZ)

The area is a part of fragile but beautiful wetland

system which is declared as a Ramsor site. For

promoting eco-system friendly farming,

generation of additional economic activity etc,

Kuttanadu may be declared as a SAZ-

commission.

Outer Bunds – What the

commission suggested?

Outer bunds-

Kayal land- bunds should be

submersible; should not exeed 30

cms above average flood level of last

10 yrs.10 yrs.

Priority should be given to stiff clay

bunds with bio- protection though

granite pitching is recognised where

strength is critically important- rule is

stiff clay bund

Bund strengthening should not reduce

the canal width.

Outer bunds- what happens

Kayal land- pillar slab bunds 50-60

cms above existing bunds and 1mtr

above the present water levelabove the present water level

average 1.1mtr lake ward

construction resulting in further

shrinkage of lake (170630.9 Sq. m in

Kayal)

1085833 sq mtr. construction of

virtually a great(!) wall in vemband

Is it submersible? Will it be a flood

plane anymore?

Outer bunds for Kayal

lands

What is the purpose of kayal bunds? To facilitate

second crop? Then how will it serve as flood plane

during peak mansoon?

Commission report says: Rani, Chithira kayals are Commission report says: Rani, Chithira kayals are

left abandoned and recommends considering it for

aqua culture. The ‘walls’ meant for aquaculture or

agriculture? Is restoration of paddy cultivation

possible in dredged, abused kayal lands?

aqua culture should be tried only in karappadams

and it shall not affect the functions of

padasekharams as flood planes-Commission

Pillar slab great wall

155.119 kms of pillar slab wall in the

midst of an ecologically fragile, wet land

of international importance which has

been declared as Ramsor site Without

any proper EIA.

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Distress to Disaster

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Distress to Disaster

2 new canals in kayal

Costruction of canals

between C&D blocks and

Rani & Chithira.

Who decided the required

width and depth of the width and depth of the

canals? Is it an engineering

question or an ecological

issue?

Is no EIA is required for

making such canals within

in the middle of

vembanadu spending 42

crores?

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Distress to Disaster

CANAL BUND CONSTRUCTIONS

Heaps of granite to mitigate distress

Bunds are being built

canalwards further

reducing the canal

width

Granite outer bunds

width

Existing strong bunds

are unnecessarily

destroyed

Not even a single clay

bund is considered

Granite bunds for

Rs. 2,82,729.81 Crores

Environment Impact Assessment

EIA notification 2006 mandates

prior environment clearance

(EC) for this types of projects

Construction activities of this

magnitude in ecologically

fragile areas comes under

category B1 and require EC

before starting construction.

KWS has been declared as

Ramsor site .

Is Swaminathan Package needs

no EIA?

Does it mean that construction of two

canals in the middle of Vembanadu

need no EIA and EC since it is a

Does it mean that EIA is not required for construction of this magnitude since it is swaminathan package?

package?

Does it mean that making of

155.119 kms of pillar slab wall in

Vembanadu further shrinking water

spread in a flood prone area requires

no EIA?

Has any body been authorised to

package an Ecological Disaster?

Why not a single clay bund and Bio-

Protection ?

• Granite bund is a rule or an

exception?

• Why Stiff clay bund is not

considered even in one polder?

• Why existing strong bunds are • Why existing strong bunds are

destroyed and new granite bund

is made even in polders where

no bund breach for last one to

two decades have been

reported?

• Why the bunds are built canal

ward further reducing the canal

width?

Stop constructions in Kayal Land till a

proper EIA is done.

• Stop constructing two new

canals till EC from proper

authority is obtained

• Granite bund is an exception

and the rule is stiff clay

bunding with bio-fencing. bunding with bio-fencing.

Revisit the whole outer bund

projects on this line as

suggested by commission

• Put it in black and white the

future of kayal lands

particularly Rani, Chithira and

R-Block.

Eco restoration program or

Engineering solution

Will it be an Eco restoration program or

Engineering solution to the distress

What we learned from the experience of TMB and What we learned from the experience of TMB and

TSW?

Are we heading to a disaster from a

distress?