Clam gatherers reap a bumper harvest in Kundannoor backwaters after 2020 flat demolitions

Kundannoor: The Kundannoor backwaters in Ernakulam are witnessing a bumper harvest of clams, which are being gathered and transported to other districts. Workers engaged in the task said that this is the first time a ‘chakara’ (appearance of a multitude of organisms) of clams has occurred in this area after the demolition of apartment complexes based on a Supreme Court order in 2020.

“Clams are so plenty that they can be gathered from any place in the Kundannoor backwaters. Currently, the harvest is taking place in the northern part of the lake. Some of the workers have collected the creature from even near the Le Meridien hotel. These workers have arrived from Alappuzha and Kottayam districts,” said a resident of the area.

Reaching Kundannoor in small canoes known as ‘cave boats’, which can carry one load, the workers gather the clams with a special net locally referred to as ‘kuthuvala’. However, traditional clam gatherers said that this method is unscientific, as it also destroys the larvae.

The gatherers start their work early in the morning and continue until the sun gets warm. Sometimes, they resume the work in the evening, when the heat can be tolerated. The harvested clams are transported to processing centres at Vaikom, Eramalloor and Chandiroor. Incidentally, a large number of clams have appeared near Valanthakkad Island also. However, traditional clam gatherers in that area have blocked the entry of workers from other districts.