Adding to the problems is its proximity to fast urbanising towns in the area. Po
aching has become common. Not only resident birds but even the migratory birds, w
hich visit the State between September and April, are being ruthlessly killed. T
his is against the spirit of at least four international agreements, including t
he RAMSAR convention.
All this leads to a disturbing situation in the state richly endowed with natura
l reserves. Further, all the 19 protected areas of Kerala are located on the Wes
tern Ghats and it is ecologically even more important for this wetland reserve t
o be protected. If action is not taken soon, the state will face acute floods du
ring the monsoon and drought during the summer. The current monsoon floods are a
warning sign.
The significance of Kole doesn t stop with this. Its socio-economic and cultural v
alue makes protection even more crucial. According to one of Nameer s studies cond
ucted in 1998, Kole is regarded as the ricebowl of Central Kerala and meets about 4
0 per cent of the region s rice requirement. Apart from this it also generates 12,
00,000 man-days of work and a yearly income of more than Rs. 17 crore.
New hope
For Nameer and others who have been fighting for Kole, there is a ray of hope. T
he amendment of the Wildlife Protection Act (1972) in 2003 has opened new doors.
Kole can now be declared a Community Reserve, whereby the wetlands will have al
l the privileges of a Wildlife Sanctuary or a National Park and also the additio
nal advantage of local community participation as it will be obligatory/statutor
y for the Government to set up a participatory management involving the local comm
unity. This has already stirred few villages into action. The panchayat in one o
f Kole s villages has already passed a unanimous resolution asking the Government
to declare 100 acres of Aloor village in Thrissur district as a community reserv
e.
Declaring Kole a Community Reserve will not only protect the birds, but also sav
e the wetland from further encroachment. If other villages follow suit. If decla
red a Community Reserve, it will be the first in south India and the third in th
e country.