The midlands of Kerala have unique problems. Kerala is unique in that the state is naturally endowed but at the same time it is also extremely fragile. To take the ground water alone the available resource base when seen in the backdrop of the huge density of population presents an irony. Thus the per capita availability is abysmal; the state being a slope the recharge is also minimal. The Pathanamthitta region has severe water scarcity though the rivers Pampa, Achenkoil and Manimala flow through the district. These rivers now degraded drain in to the Vembanad Lake and the whole system faces environmental crisis. Once the Western Ghats hills, where the rivers originate, were covered with rain forests and the plains with lush green paddy fields. There was enviable wild and crop diversity but these are becoming stories of the past. Silently the entire region is now heading for an environmental calamity. The majestic Pampa now reduced to a stream at most places tells that story, of human greed and exploitation.
Once plentiful water is now dear and the ground and surface water sources are affected. The deforestation in the hills, alarming spread of monoculture plantations like rubber in the upstream watersheds, sand mining in the river beds, damming in the hills, general degradation of midland wet lands and natural springs, all have all lead to less and less water reaching the river and this has considerably reduced the ground water levels. Those dependent on wells, a majority, for drinking water are affected first and the others who depend on piped water, again drawn from the same sources, slowly. The flora and fauna undergo major changes in their composition. As yet there is hardly any understanding about the delicate interlinks between all these phenomena, including man, or concern about the degradation in ecosystem. The unhealthy human interventions giving scant regard to time tested and eco-friendly cultural values did enormous damage.
Kerala has many rivers but these are all minor rivers and the state being a steep slope from the Western Ghats to the sea the scope of ground water recharge is limited. Why the wetlands of Kerala are doubly important. With respect to the national norm Kerala does not have a single major river and has only four medium rivers. For a comparison the combined discharge of these four rivers is less than half of that of river Krishna. The remaining forty rivers are only minor ones, the combined discharge of all of them together is only about one-third of that of Godavari.
The ground water level receding drastically during the summer months and drying up of wells are common features in many parts of Kerala. Replenishment of ground water has been affected as the wetlands are no more holding water, rice cultivation abandoned, and these getting filled at many places. In Kerala dependence by rural households for domestic water supply on wells and traditional ground water systems is 80%, only 10-15% uses piped water supply systems, and 5% use traditional-surface and other systems. River Pampa alone its bed is supporting the drinking water needs of a huge population.
The gradual drift to an ecological devastation is as yet not considered by the policy makers and the suicidal interventions in the ecosystem continue unabated. Sadly this is often with government connivance. The rich biodiversity of the region, both terrestrial and aquatic, are severely eroded. The climatic regimes, once Kerala boasted of a comfortable climate the year round, have become erratic and the extremes of climate are to impact the ecosystem in ways that have not been witnessed so far. Ignorance and selfish interests lead to the scene and those with a commitment to nature and survival systems are looking at the future with concern.
Those groups that are driven by greed and who lack a commitment to the local ecosystem are engaging in or facilitating serious damages. The unbridled sand mining activities, the spread of plantation crops, destruction of midland hills and wet lands are all going on in Kerala where the policy makers also unwittingly end up part of the destruction. With no concern to the time tested value systems and the culture of conservation innate to the native approaches they are aiming at immediate gains.
Aquatic biodiversity of the rivers and inland water bodies have shown sharp falls and there is scant regard given to calls for regulation. The riparian vegetation and agro-biodiversity play crucial roles in water balance and biodiversity. When these are affected the aquatic life in general loses their mutual symbiosis and lead to a chain of events that damage a river ecosystem. The unregulated sand mining destroys the breeding grounds of fishes and other fauna and these get extinct or become unviable. Thus large number of fish species, once abundant, is no more seen in these rivers. The towns, industries and other establishments use rivers for effluent discharge and combined with the residual agro-chemicals that flow in the rivers face slow death. Most of Kerala’s networks of rivers have become seasonal from once being perennial. The changes have adversely affected the agro-economy where wetland crops have given way to hardy alien plantation crops like rubber, or farm lands are becoming real estate, or even being kept barren.
The wisdom of the ancient culture visible in the upkeep of ponds, sacred groves, and a host of other do’s and don’ts in the interaction with nature is no more honored and the agrarian economy has collapsed. The paddy field wetlands are callously filled as real estate and used for commercial purposes, with least regard for the water balance of the place. It’s a naïve people destroying their own survival systems. Wilderness and open spaces are cleared which displace the various animals and plants that use these as habitat.
With the high density of population and the high pace of urbanization the agrarian village ambience of Kerala is almost lost. This makes it more important to protect the ecologically sensitive areas and ecosystems. But the government apparatus is often incompetent to see the wider frame of reference and giving in to pressures they too indulge in destructive interventions. It is here that the knowledgeable people’s movements have a great responsibility.
No comments:
Post a Comment