Kerala's green mission to be launched today

Thiruvananthapuram: The launch of Haritha Kerala Mission on Thursday will mark the beginning of a major campaign to address the grave issues confronting the state like garbage, threat to water sources, environment and ecology besides dwindling food production. This is the first of the four mega missions planned by the LDF government.  

The health, housing and education missions will be launched subsequently. To ensure an effective apparatus for implementing the mega programme, the governing body of Haritha Keralam headed by Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan as chairman has been packed with...ministers, chief secretary, principal secretaries and a vice-chairman. Similar committees have been formed at the district-level with MPs, MLAs on board, panels headed by elected representatives at corporations, municipalities, block and grama panchayats.

On the eve of the launch, Mr Vijayan outlined the problems being faced by the state and the need for long-term solutions. According to census figures, the urban areas constitute only 16 per cent of the total are area of the state. However, 50 per cent of the population reside in urban areas, he said.

Being industrial and commercial centres, there is huge generation of plastic, e-waste and construction sector waste. But there are not enough garbage treatment plants resulting in waste dumps all over urban areas. This problem can be tackled only if the state devised environment-friendly scientific methods for treating, managing and disposing of toxic and all other forms of waste. Many experiments are being carried out in waste treatment at the level of local bodies which need to be coordinated.

Similarly, the increasing pollution of water sources, reclamation of ponds and lakes, dwindling rainfall because of climatic changes, entire rain water flowing straight into the sea and sand mining in rivers have created a grave situation in the state.

By 2030, the state would require 64 per cent more water than the current level of consumption and in three decades the demand for drinking water would go up by 29 per cent and the requirement of water for irrigation by 81 per cent.

So the big question is how will the state face this challenge? Urgent steps are required for conservation of water sources, prevention of wastage of water, rain water harvesting schemes and conservation and protection of  lakes, ponds, rivers and streams. Under the mission, efforts will be made to conserve and protect 44 rivers, 50,000 ponds and 60,000 wells, lakes and streams.

The agriculture sector is also facing big challenges. Once known for abundant production of paddy, tapioca and vegetables, the state now depends on others. Agriculture and allied sectors contribute one fourth to state’s GDP while two-thirds of the state's population still depend on agriculture for their livelihood.

While the state has one of the highest per hectare income at Rs 53,000 among states, the majority of the people do farming in five  to 25 cents of land.  "We need to concentrate on agriculture sector keeping in view the future food safety needs. Organic farming has to be expanded further to ensure toxic-free vegetables and paddy cultivation has to be increased. If 70 lakh households in the state decide to plant at least one vegetable each, it would result in a major change and would also create a new culture,” the chief minister said.