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KOORAPUZHA - Another river on deathbed - 01/12/06
By Girish
Raghavan, Koyilandy |
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Kerala
was and is world famous for its clear, silent and beautiful backwaters &
rivers. These water bodies are not just water sources, but are inseparable
parts of malayali culture and lives.
These marine ecosystem shelters have a wide variety flora and fauna species
which had helped and were helped in return by the dwellers of this land
hence they were considered with respect by our ancestors. There are
literally no poets or singers in Malayalam who has not praised the scenic
beauty, the silent rhythmic flow and the purity of the puzhas and rivers of
kerala.
But modern men have become greedy and selfish devils concerned only about
money and their well being. This mentality has paved the way to an easy
death of the rivers of the land. The fate of Koorapuzha is a vivid example
of this disaster. Koorapuzha was once a typical kerala beauty, but now the
word beauty can’t be used to describe any part of this once beauty queen.
The introduction of concrete moulding as a more convenient method of
construction was the beginning of it all, because concrete moulding needed
‘sand’ to be mixed with cement as a bonding agent. Rivers are a cheap but a
non renewable source of quality sand. This opportunity of business led to
the uncontrolled exploitation of rivers for their sand which has taken
hundreds of years to accumulate. Now, when the govt tries to control this
exploitation, it finds it tough as these sand diggers have grown into a
wealthy, well-networked and dangerous mafia.
The life stock - flesh trading concerns & timber yards on the banks and
untidy handling such as waste dumping has made the once clear water
polluted, bad smelling and poisonous. It’s now impossible to pass by this
river leaving your nose unguarded. Koorapuzha once well-known for its fish
and other marine yield is now a death trap to many species.
The increasing demand for backwater tourism has shed a ray of hope of repair
and restoration of the beauty of rivers because the tourism industry has a
high financial potential.
Let’s hope koorapuza will also have its bit of luck to be back in its
earlier self.
- Girish Raghavan for CalicutNet |
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