Wetland reclamation threatens the charm of Kumbalangi

Kumbalangi: Kumbalangi, widely celebrated as a model tourism village, is witnessing growing concerns over the reclamation of wetlands in several areas. The vast, picturesque paddy fields stretching across the Kumbalangi–Kandakkadavu–Anjilithara belt, locally known as Chudukaad, Manakkoor and Thekkuvadakku Manakkoor, are central to the village’s natural beauty and tourism appeal.

Flocks of migratory birds arriving at these wetlands and the stunning sunset views have long captivated visitors. Although paddy cultivation has ceased here for years, fish farming continues. The area has also attracted considerable interest from tourism entrepreneurs over the years. Previous attempts to reclaim the paddy fields were thwarted through the intervention of local residents and social activists.

Recently, however, complaints have mounted over a renewed wave of reclamation across several patches. Interventions led by Sabu Thomas, secretary of the KSKTU Kumbalangi South Village Committee, successfully halted unauthorized filling along Kattikonadu Road in Ward 8, as well as at four different locations on Puthenkari Road in Ward 9. Petitions have since been submitted to the District Collector and other relevant authorities demanding action.

The damage, however, is already visible. In the Kulakkadavu area of Ward 10, roughly ten cents of wetland have already been buried under earth. The latest flashpoint occurred along Anjilithara Road, where alert locals intervened just in time to halt an illegal filling attempt.

A troubling pattern has emerged: ventures are initially launched as modest, small-scale tourism projects, only to aggressively encroach upon and fill adjoining wetlands under the pretext of expansion. With public resentment brewing, political parties have also begun stepping into the fray to protest the destruction of these crucial wetlands.