Environmental Issues Of 1

Malappuram,

Kerala (God’s Own Country)

 Contents 2

Introduction to Malappuram Pg. 2-5

Highlights of environmental issues Pg. 6

Sudden Urbanization and waste management Pg. 7-9

Air quality Index Pg. 10

Water Pollution Pg. 11-15

Excessive Quarrying Pg. 16-19

Conclusion Pg. 19-20

 Malappuram: The land of harmony
3
and football
1. Fastest Growing City In The World with an urban growth of
44.1% between 2015 and 2020.
2. First Complaint Free Muncipality of the state
3. First Muncipality In India To Provide Free WIFI Connectivity
4. Malappuram is the first municipal body in India to win an
ISO 9001-2008 certification for quality management
5. Malappuram ranks top from God’s own country Kerala to
have pristine air, magnificence of its mountains and the
serenity of its fresh water streams
 Location And Demography
4

 Located In North Kerala

 Land Area: 3,554 Sq.km
 Population: 4,112,920
 Population Density: 1,157/Sq.km
 Sex Ratio: 1098, (India in 2018: 899)
 Literacy Rate: 93.57% (India: 74.04%)
 Male Literacy: 95.76%, Female Literacy: 93.25%
 Famous Personalities: Edassery, Ezhuthachan,
Moinkutty, Poonthanam, Uroob, Comrade EMS
Namboothirippadu, E.Ahmed, P.Sreeramakrishnan,
C.Karunakaran
 Culture And Cuisine

 MoyinkuttyVaidyar, the most renowned Mappila paattu poet was born at Kondotty. He
is considered as one of the Mahakavis (a title for 'great poet') of Mappila songs. The
currently adopted Malayalam alphabet was first accepted by Thunchath Ezhuthachan,
who was born at Tirur and is known as the father of the modern Malayalam language.
 Malappuram is often known as The Mecca of Kerala Football. Malappuram District
Sports Complex & Football Academy is situated at Payyanad in Manjeri. Kottappadi
Football Stadium is a historic football stadium. Other major stadiums include the Rajiv
Gandhi Municipal Stadium at Tirur, and the Perinthalmanna Cricket Stadium at
Perinthalmanna. A synthetic track is there along with the Tirur Municipal
Stadium. Malabar Premier League was initiated in 2015 to strengthen football in the
district. The Calicut University Synthetic Track at Thenhipalam is the apex synthetic
track in the district. It is associated with the C. H. Muhammad Koya Stadium
 The centuries of maritime trade has given the Malappuram a cosmopolitan cuisine. The
cuisine is a blend of traditional Kerala items with some of the Arab food items. One of
the main elements of this cuisine is Pathiri, a pancake made of rice flour. Variants
of Pathiri include Neypathiri (made with ghee), Poricha Pathiri (fried rather than
baked), Meen Pathiri (stuffed with fish), and Irachi Pathiri (stuffed with beef). Spices
like Black pepper, Cardamom, and Clove are widely used in the cuisine of Malappuram.
Environmental Issues Of Malappuram 6

 Though Malappuram is regarded as one of the least polluted cities of India,

There are growing concerns of pollution due to rapid (fastest in world)
urbanization.
 Air quality has changed to satisfactory from excellent within 10 years.
 Many rivers suffer degradation and pollution
 Political and Sports banners,fluxes contribute to accumulation of plastics
 Population Boom (though the rate has decreased) lead to overcrowding in
Manjeri, Nilambur, Perinthalmanna, Wandoor, Kottakkal, Tirur towns.
 Efficient schemes to protect biodiversity, Clean Rivers And Ponnani Beach have
already been started
 Inefficiency in waste management (especially in rural areas) have urged people
to burn plastics which may have serious impact on air quality for generations to
come
Sudden Urbanization and
inefficient waste management system 7
 Inefficient Waste Management system which couldn’t cope with
urbanization lead to massive accumulation of toxic wastes 8
 It also played role in worsening Kerala Floods 2019

The District Collectorate along with Government came with effective solution
to provide free food/Gifts for those who collected waste under the slogan
“Give Plastic, Get Food !!”
 My Suggestions:- 9

 Reduce the amount of waste as much as possible. This should also be included in primary
education curriculum to create awareness
 Reuse products to a maximum extent such that all its uses are exhausted. Local
manufacturers should be encouraged for production of multi-purpose goods
 Recycle almost all toxic wastes. Recyling plants should be constructed across Malappuram
 Garbage bins for plastic wastes should be placed on every road and must be cleared for ‘R’
cycle frequently
 Students should be encouraged to clean their school surrounding for creating awareness
2.Air Quality Index Of Malappuram 10

 Though Air quality is better

than the national average (152
US AQI),the district has faced
decline in its own air quality
with increase in small
particulate matter that can
contribute to low visibility and
health problems in future
 Water Pollution
 The improper disposal of waste from nearby lead to polluting rivers in 1980’s 11

 In 2018 Indian Express (1981)

Chaliyar River that originates in Wayanad district, flows through the districts of Malappuram and Kozhikode.
Scientists at the Water Quality Division, Centre for Water Resources Development and Management (CWRDM) in
Kozhikode tested the water samples from the river and found the presence of two types of cyanobacteria –
microcystis and anabaena. The river also has history in 1980’s where accumulation of corporate chemical
polluted it. Diseases devoured their victims at a frightening pace. Malformation of babies had multiplied.
Cancer, heart attacks, respiratory diseases, failing vision and retardation of mental faculties were quite
common here.10 persons were hospitalised due to factory release of SO2.
Massive Protests were held to protect Chaliyar River from corporate
factories in 1990s 12

The factory was shut down in 2001.As a result,

It caused sudden unemployment. But, The river
Gradually got recovered. But, In 2018 some
Algae was discovered in Chaliyar river for which
No action is taken till date.
Ground Water Quality
13

 What to
control?
1.pH
2.Coliform
grp organisms
that contribute
to MPN
 14

Source:
Times Of India
 What Government do ? 15
 3 year jail term for anyone polluting river
 Biodiversity conservation scheme to recover rivers
 Comprehensive watershed conservation and management plan, water quality
management plan, long term sub-basin and river basin operation under Kerala
water policy act, 2008
My Suggestions-
Thick Plastic should be
Waste Disposal Of Students must take Proper waste disposal
banned in neighbouring
Industries Must be part in river cleaning system for toxic
areas of river and strict
Checked Frequently initiatives to create chemicals
fine should be enacted
awareness
for defaulters

Construction of
Bio-degradable Compost pits should be
water efficient Promote Organic
detergents should be used for disposal of
public toilets and Fertilizers for farming
promoted organic wastes
their maintenance
 Quarrying 16

 Located close to Nilambur town in Kerala’s Malappuram district, Kavalappara now looks almost like a ghost
town, with those who survived the tragedy relocating to other places. The remnants of the destroyed houses
and buildings portend dangers of unregulated quarrying of granite in a state with a unique ecosystem involving
high rocky hills, over 40 rivers and a unique backwater system linked to the sea.

EFFECT OF QUARRYING- CLIMATE CHANGE

 KERALA FLOOD 2018 17

Devastating climate change-induced heavy rains,

which became an annual phenomenon in Kerala
since 2018 might have triggered the landslide at
Kavalappara, the severest among those which
occurred in Kerala in the recent years. But the
satellite images we took from the area are clearly
explaining the reason which aggravated the impact
of the disaster. The quarries have changed the
landscape of the region and made the hill unstable.
It’s almost clear that the authorities had given
permission for quarry operation in this area without
conducting any environmental impact study
 Steps taken by government 18
 Kerala assembly’s panel on environmental affairs is suggesting a comprehensive
mining policy which strictly adheres to guidelines issued by the NGT and the Supreme
Court. In the place of the existing practice of issuing quarry operation licenses to
individuals, they must be brought under strict government control, the panel said.
 Quarrying was banned in Nilambur, Malappuram taluk after floods for a short period

My Suggestions:-

Existing rules must be

executed with force to
have a regular check
(5900 quarries function in
state though a mere 750
have permission)
Tree Planting must be made Working hours should be
mandatory to quarry owners reduced to prevent noise
once the quarry is exhausted pollution
 -Conclusion-

 Though Malappuram suffer many problem in

conserving its environment, It is able to cope up with
fastest urbanization in world without affecting nature
heavily. This was possible only due to tireless efforts of
its residents to conserve nature from corporate
forces such as that seen in chaliyar protest. This
consciousness is also given to future generation
through awareness. The state government also
played a major role in keeping away multi-national
corporates away from state resources, but at the
same time urbanizing and digitalizing people and
promoting employment in tertiary sector

“I am really proud to be a native of this district”

 20

The climate crisis has already been solved. We already

have solutions. All we need is to to wake up and change..not
by 2050 or 2030, BUT NOW !- Greta Thunberg

THANK YOU