1. KUTTANADU PACKAGE
Distress to Disaster
KERALA SASTRA SAHITHYA PARISHAD, ALAPPUZHA
2. KUTTANADU PACKAGE
Distress to Disaster
ONGOING CONSTRUCTIONS
Upsets the priority set by the
commission
Pillar slab and granite outer
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
4. KUTTANADU
Den of Distress
• Kuttanadu has become den of distress due to
man- made crisis created on ecology,
agriculture, livelihoods and alternate options-
commission
• 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.
5. KUTTANADU PACKAGE
The 15 tasks set by the commission
A- Strengthening ecological
security.
1. Protection and restoration of
water spread area.
2. Salinity, flood management.
3. Pollution control
4. Elimination of aquatic weeds
5. Augmenting bio- diversity in
back waters
6. Improving health and
sanitation
6. KUTTANADU PACKAGE
The 15 tasks set by commission
B –Expanding sustainable livelihood security
B1-Agri based livelihood
7. SAZ
8. Infrastructure support for
paddy cultivation
9. Crop calendar
10. Research and extension
11. Economic viability
12. coconut based
enterprises and
integrated farming
7. KUTTANADU PACKAGE
The 15 tasks set by commission
B –Expanding sustainable
livelihood security
B2-Inland fisheries based
livelihood
13. Actions to promote fishery
wealth of vembanadu kayal
14. Promoting Fisheries
infrastruture, capacity and
fishermen welfare
8. KUTTANADU PACKAGE
The 15 tasks set by commission
B –Expanding sustainable livelihood security
B 3- Water Tourism in Kuttanadu Ecology
15. Infrastructure
support to
facilitate tourism
9. Nursing and nurturing an abused eco
system back to health is fundamental to
revival and expansion of livelihood –
Commission.
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11. Ecological Disaster
Flood & Salinity Management
• Modernization of TSB, TSW.
Permanent regulators in place of
orumuttus.
• Removal of blocks in rivers and
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.
12. Ecological Disaster
Aggressive water pollution and water
seeds.
Low salinity in vembanadu proves to be
disastrous.
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.
13. 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.
14. Alleviation of Agricultural Disaster
• Paddy declined from 60921ha in 1967 to37624 in 2003.
• A linear projection leads to the total elimination of paddy in
ktnd by 2020
• High cost of production , low prices and exploitative markets
are the reasons for sharp decline
• Recurring exp. on infrastructure, outer bund , contribute to
the high cost (surprisingly commission calculates it to be
between 10%-20% only whereas the labor cost is 60- 74 %.
10%- 60-
Nor the spiraling fertilizer, pesticide cost has been
considered. Net result, the entire thrust has been on outer
bund construction )
15. Other Recommendations to
Alleviate Agricultural Distress
Division of larger polders.
Regulation of salt water
intrusion.
De-silting and renovation of
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)
16. 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.
17. 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.
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.
18. Outer bunds- what happens
Kayal land- pillar slab bunds 50-60
cms above existing bunds and 1mtr
above 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?
20. 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
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
21. 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.
24. 2 new canals in kayal
Costruction of canals
between C&D blocks and
Rani & Chithira.
Who decided the required
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?
26. Heaps of granite to mitigate distress
Granite outer bunds
Bunds are being built
canalwards further
reducing the canal
width
Existing strong bunds
are unnecessarily
destroyed
Not even a single clay
bund is considered
28. 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 .
29.
30. Is Swaminathan Package needs
no EIA?
Does it mean that EIA is not required for construction of this
magnitude since it is swaminathan package?
Does it mean that construction of two
canals in the middle of Vembanadu
need no EIA and EC since it is a
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?
31. 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
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?
32. 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.
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.
33. 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
TSW?
Are we heading to a disaster from a
distress?
