Four local bodies that lie along the backwater landscape of Kottayam district have now been included in the second Kuttanad package.
The Department of Agriculture has brought out an order to include the Aymanom, Arpookkara, Kumarakam and Neendur panchayats within the Ettumanur assembly constituency, which focuses on restoration of the Vembanad wetland eco system. The action follows a demand raised in this regard by the local legislator and Cooperation Minister V.N. Vasavan.
The second Kuttanad package, being implemented by the Kuttanad Development Coordination Council in association with the State Planning Board, KIIFB and Rebuild Kerala etc envisages a systematic development of the region by establishing infrastructure and tourism projects. This project also aims to develop inland water transport.
Adoption of integrated farming methods, animal husbandry and fisheries development, establishing self-help groups among women too form part of the package.
The State government has allotted ₹137 crore to clean the canals and other waterways in various parts including the Vembanad lake and strengthen bunds. An additional fund of ₹100 crore has been set aside for the construction of outer bunds for the polder networks.
Commenting on the development, Mr.Vasavan said the project sought a comprehensive intervention in the life and support systems of Kuttanad .
“The package will ensure the growth of the agricultural sector and thus ensure higher income for the farmers. At the same time, it will also make the Vembanad backwater system resilient to the changing climate and ensure safety of the people settled in the region,” he noted.
Other activities included in the package are the delivery of quality seeds on time and local production of the seeds , he added.
A vast area of land reclaimed from Vembanad Lake spread across Alappuzha, Pathanamthitta and Kottayam districts, Kuttanad has been reeling under the impact of back-to-back floods over the years. The catastrophic weather events, especially since the mega floods of 2018, has also triggered a wave of out-migration of people from the region.
