Tue Feb 18 16:00:57 UTC 2025: ## Illegal Encroachment Threatens Kerala’s Ramsar Site
**Kannur, Kerala – February 18, 2025** – Environmentalists have sounded the alarm over the extensive encroachment and degradation of the Valapattanam riverbanks near Kattampally bridge in Kannur district. Private landowners are allegedly filling the riverbanks, designated as a Coastal Regulation Zone-1 and part of Kerala’s fourth Ramsar site (Kattampally wetland), with construction debris, including concrete, plastics, and glass. This activity, reportedly aimed at building a road through government-owned (Poramboke) land, threatens the vital ecosystem supporting diverse wildlife, including migratory birds.
P. Dharman, convener of the Kerala Sasthra Sahitya Parishad (KSSP) regional environmental committee, criticized the “blatant violation of environmental laws” and called for immediate government intervention. He noted that similar encroachment attempts were stopped in 2021, but the illegal road has now extended beyond 200 meters.
While the Forest Department acknowledged the issue, it cited jurisdictional limitations due to the private ownership of the disputed land. However, a recent KSSP site inspection confirmed the ongoing destruction of mangroves and the urgency of the situation. The KSSP suggests that a digital survey already conducted could facilitate the clear demarcation of government land, paving the way for effective action. The incident highlights the ongoing struggle to protect ecologically sensitive areas from illegal encroachment.
First Piper 