Why in News
- Vembanad Lake, Kerala’s largest wetland and a Ramsar site, faces severe ecological degradation.
- Unchecked tourism (luxury houseboats), encroachment, sewage, and reclamation threaten its survival.
- A CWRDM report shows boat numbers have exceeded carrying capacity → pushing the ecosystem to collapse.
Relevance : GS III (Environment – Wetlands, Ramsar Sites, Ecological Degradation, Sustainable Tourism, Climate Resilience).
From Basics
- Location: Spans Alappuzha, Kottayam, Ernakulam districts in Kerala.
- Ecological importance:
- Largest Ramsar site in Kerala.
- Regulates floods, nourishes paddy fields (Kuttanad region – “Rice Bowl of Kerala”), sustains fisheries.
- Habitat for mangroves, migratory birds, and aquatic life.
- Socio-economic role:
- Supports fishing communities.
- Central to Kerala’s backwater tourism (houseboats, shikaras).
Comprehensive Overview
Tourism Pressure
- Traditional kettuvalloms turned into luxury floating resorts.
- Safe capacity: 461 houseboats → Actual: 954 + 241 shikaras + 404 motorboats + 1,625 country boats.
- Impact: Sewage discharge, diesel pollution, boat congestion → erosion, breeding ground destruction.
Water Pollution
- Coliform levels near Punnamada: 8,000 → lake turning into “floating septic tank”.
- Sewage treatment infrastructure largely idle.
- Churning wakes disturb sediments → ecological imbalance.
Impact on Communities
- Fisherfolk displaced from traditional fishing grounds.
- Declining fish catch → loss of livelihoods.
- Increased vulnerability to floods and droughts.
Wetland Degradation
- Area shrinkage: 130.68 sq. km (1967) → 3.29 sq. km (2011).
- Ongoing annual reduction: ~0.3 sq. km.
- Encroachments: illegal resorts, land reclamation, high-rises.
- Example: 2019 Maradu flats demolition → exposed 26,000+ violations.
Governance & Policy Issues
- Tourism-politics nexus → reluctance to regulate.
- Judicial interventions (SC orders demolitions) address visible violations, but invisible pressures (houseboat sewage, congestion) remain unchecked.
- Lack of integrated wetland management plan.
Proposed Solutions
- Ban non-local boats, regulate carrying capacity.
- Waste treatment mandatory at hubs.
- Declare Vembanad a fish sanctuary (as proposed by KSSP).
- Promote eco-tourism, restrict entry into sensitive zones.
- Balance tourism revenue with ecological sustainability.
Broader Significance
- Environmental: Wetland collapse → loss of biodiversity, flood regulation capacity.
- Economic: Threat to fisheries, paddy cultivation, and long-term tourism viability.
- Social: Marginalisation of local communities, cultural displacement.
- Climate Change Context: Kerala’s recurrent floods make Vembanad’s survival critical for resilience.
