Garbage dumping stalls ‘puncha’ crop preparations in Kottayam paddy fields

Kottayam: Farmers in Kerala have started preparations for the ‘puncha’ (summer) crop. However, the rampant dumping of garbage has made farmlands inaccessible to workers at many places, including Kottayam.

Most of the paddy fields near Kottayam town are covered with piles of various kinds of harmful waste, such as glass splinters, which prevent farm workers from venturing into the area. Dumping of septage also occurs frequently on the paddy fields on both sides of the Nattakom – Parochal bypass. The collective of paddy farmers in Gravu – Chekkakkary – Nadankary has already submitted a complaint to the municipality that it is unable to start preparations for ‘puncha’ cultivation.

Tankers carrying waste take advantage of the overgrown wild shrubs on the sides of the bypass road to dump waste, particularly septage, at night. As farm workers have to spend an entire day on the field to prepare the land for cultivation, they refuse to carry out the work citing the nauseous smell.

In addition to septage, waste from vegetable, fish and meat markets is dumped on the paddy fields. Making the situation worse, domestic waste from houses is also brought by people in vehicles and deposited in the farmlands.

In January this year, farmers and residents of the area formed a collective named ‘Vayalorakkattu janakeeya koottayma’ and cleared the wild shrubs on the roadside. The area was also cleaned. However, farmers pointed out that the situation has become pathetic now.

The paddy fields on the western side of Kottayam, which have been irrigated for the next crop, are also filled with broken glass. Farmers said that they cannot venture into the fields, risking injuries to their legs. Most of the roads passing beside the paddy fields in Kottayam lack streetlights, which enables miscreants to dump waste when it is dark.

Santhosh Kuttivelil of the Gravu – Chekkakkary – Nadankary farmers’ collective pointed out that the Parochal bypass road bifurcates the 310-acre paddy field in the area. “We are unable to step into the fields on both sides of the bypass. The authorities should install surveillance cameras which can capture images at night along the road. They also have to clear the roadsides of waste and beautify the area,” he said.