HomeUrban NewsKochiPokkali Samithi Opposes Paddy Land Conversion

Pokkali Samithi Opposes Paddy Land Conversion

The Pokkali Conservation Committee has voiced significant concern over recent amendments to the Kerala Conservation of Paddy Land and Wetland Act, which now permits taluk-level officials to authorise the conversion of paddy fields. This development, according to the committee, poses a dire threat to the remaining pokkali fields and could lead to widespread reclamation of these crucial agricultural lands.

The committee underscores the urgent need for a comprehensive survey aimed at safeguarding the remaining watershed areas. Such a survey is imperative not only for ensuring food security but also for protecting freshwater resources, the environment, and local employment. Multiple studies conducted by Kerala Agricultural University highlight the importance of pokkali farms, with each acre capable of storing approximately three lakh litres of rainwater annually. Disrupting this natural water retention process risks exposing groundwater resources to salinity. “We urge the government to rescind its order that authorises taluk-level officials to fill waterbodies. This policy will have detrimental effects on farmers, agricultural labourers, and the agricultural sector as a whole,” stated the committee coordinator .In parallel, a group of farmers from Maruvakkad Padasekharam in Chellanam has petitioned the district collector and agricultural officer. These farmers have expressed their ongoing struggle to produce paddy due to a lack of support from officials, who they allege favour the interests of the fishing lobby.

“Over the past several years, our efforts to successfully harvest paddy have been repeatedly thwarted due to the failure of the relevant authorities and office-bearers of Maruvakkad Padasekharam Samithi to regulate water levels. This persistent issue results in significant financial losses each year, encompassing the costs of field preparation and seed procurement,” lamented a pokkali farmer. The amendments to the Kerala Conservation of Paddy Land and Wetland Act are seen by conservationists as a step backwards in the efforts to preserve Kerala’s unique agricultural heritage and environmental balance. The pokkali farming system, renowned for its organic farming methods and resilience to saline water, is an integral part of Kerala’s agrarian landscape. Its potential decline due to policy changes could have far-reaching implications.

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