Thaneermukkam Bund as an Ecological Construct: Effects of Water Pollution on Adjacent Residents

Abstract

Thaneermukkam bund is famous as the largest mud regulator in the country. It is built on the Vembanad Lake, the largest lake in Kerala. It was built as part of the Kuttanad Development Scheme in 1974. The bund divided the lake into two parts and it connects two districts Kottayam and Alappuzha. The project was envisaged with the prevention of saltwater intrusion into the low-lying areas of Kuttanad and also to facilitate double crops of paddy in a year to the farmers of Kuttanad. The bund is proposed to control floods and also to facilitate road transportation as it connects two districts in Kerala. But apart from the proposed benefits, it has leads to some problems for the adjacent residents. The present study is based on the effects of Thaneermukkam bud on adjacent residents. The study is based on quantitative method and descriptive research design was applied. Simple random sampling was used in the study and an interview schedule was used to collect data. The study revealed that the residents on the banks of Thaneermukkam bund were facing many environmental issues like water pollution and water quality deterioration due to the presence of the bund.