Bioresource Depletion Due to Coconut Husk Retting in and around Vaikom Region of Vembanad Lake

Abstract

The local community extensively utilises the vembanad lake for fishing and other activities like fermentation or retting of coconut husks for coir industry in addition to aquaculture and sand mining. But, treated and untreated sewage extensively finds its way into the lake which is also affected by rice centric development, industrial growth, rapid urbanization, chemical fertilizers and pesticides, lack of proper solid waste management in connection with the tourism, dumping of effluents from motor boats, etc., that comprise the major factors contributing to severe environmental crisis faced by this fragile ecosystem. However, in the present communication, environmental crisis due to coconut husk retting in and around Vaikom region will be highlighted along with its impact on economic resources analysing unsustainable resource depletion in this lake. Retting leads to extensive pollution of water bodies especially the backwaters of Kerala. Vembanad lake faces severe biodiversity loss due to the adverse effect of decades of retting activity and consequent problems arising in the form of unhygienic conditions that prevail in Naanaad, Mathungal (Chembu), Nerekadavu, Kaatikunnu and Panambukadu regions of Vaikom where a number of people are engaged in coir retting activities. Water quality analysed in the study stations show high organic pollution.