Reclamation will cause ecological damage to Vembanad, says panel
A committee constituted by the Ministry of Environment, Forest and
Climate Change, has held the Cochin Port Trust (CPT) responsible for CRZ
violations in Vembanad, which was classified as a
Critically Vulnerable Coastal Area in the CRZ 2011 notification.
Background:
It has been alleged that the CPT has reclaimed stretches of
Vembanad backwaters and has violated the Coastal Regulation Zone (CRZ)
notification.
Concerns:
The committee is concerned because such reclamation can cause
large-scale damages to the site.
Also, activities in violation of CRZ provisions will definitely
affect the ecological health of a very sensitive ecosystem like Vembanad, which
is a declared Ramsar site, a Critically
Vulnerable Coastal Area, and a protected wetland system.
Vembanad:
Vembanad is the longest lake in India, and the largest lake in the
state of Kerala.
Spanning several districts in the state of Kerala, it is known as Punnamada Lake in Kuttanad, Kochi Lake in Kochi.
- Several
groups of small islands including Vypin, Mulavukad, Vallarpadam,
Willingdon Island are located in the Kochi Lake portion. Kochi Port is
built around the Willingdon Island, and the Vallarpadam island.
- The Nehru
Trophy Boat Race is conducted in a portion
of the lake.
- Government
of India has identified the Vembanad wetland under National Wetlands
Conservation Programme.
The Vembanad Wetland system was included in the list of wetlands of international importance, as defined by
the Ramsar Convention for the conservation and
sustainable utilization of wetlands in 2002. It is the largest of the three
Ramsar Sites in the state of Kerala.
