Illegal lotus farming threatens Thamirabarani wetlands

Tirunelveli: Illegal commercial lotus cultivation in irrigation tanks across the Thamirabarani river basin is severely degrading wetlands, harming biodiversity and disrupting traditional water uses, conservationists have warned.The Thamirabarani irrigation system, one of Tamil Nadu’s oldest water management networks, supports agriculture, drinking water, fisheries and livelihoods through a vast chain of canals and tanks. While the water resources department (WRD) leases many tanks for fish culture, leaseholders in several locations have illegally begun cultivating lotus for commercial sale, in violation of lease conditions, says M Mathivanan, coordinator of ATREE’s Agasthyamalai Community Conservation Centre.Speaking to TOI, he said that to boost lotus yield, cultivators add chemical fertilisers, pesticides, pig manure and cattle dung directly into tanks, contaminating water and endangering native fish and other aquatic life. As a result, local communities can no longer safely use tank water for bathing, washing or livestock, he said.He mentioned that this is happening because cultivating lotus like this yields a better income than fishing.

“We have identified lotus cultivation in nearly 20 such ponds of 29 in the Manimuthar 40-foot channel. Partial cultivation was observed in the rest of the ponds,” said Mathivanan. Due to the cultivation, dead leaves settle under the waterbed and increase the silt accumulation, he added.He warned that unchecked lotus farming could compromise wetland health across the basin and affect thousands who depend on these tanks, urging the state govt and WRD to immediately stop illegal cultivation and protect irrigation tanks as public water resources.Responding to the issue, Tirunelveli district collector Anand Mohan told TOI that they haven’t received any complaint regarding this. If a proper complaint is made, the district administration will initiate necessary action, he added.