Pristine Paradise
Kerala’s focus on green living pays rich dividends. And despite the natural disasters, tourists flock here
That Kerala breathes freely despite rapid urbanisation is thanks to the green belts and tree cover in the state. The 2018 State Economic Review data for environmental quality indicates that average concentration levels of sulphur dioxide and oxides of nitrogen and respirable suspended particulate matter (RSPM) are within permissible limits except in Thiruvananthapuram,
Thrissur and Kannur districts where RSPM is skirting the limit. In the industrial category, out of the 11 monitoring stations only Alappuzha district exceeded RSPM limits. Also, the water quality in 65 rivers, three fresh water lakes, eight estuarine lakes, six reservoir stations and other water sources was found to be satisfactory, enough reason for the state to win the award for environment.
The state’s forest cover extends to about 52 per cent of its geographical area (this includes 20,321 sq. km of plantations). Though the dense forest cover has seen a hit over the last three years, the high ranges in Idukki, Pathanamthitta and Palakkad remain unaffected. Forest cover data reveals that floodravaged Wayanad tops in tree cover loss since 2015. The government plans to increase forest cover in nine districts, including Ernakulam, to balance the forest loss in others. As part of biodiversity conservation, 4,470 km of fire lines were marked and 81,352 fire protection watchers deployed by the department of forest and wildlife. In the past two decades, 57,130 hectares of degraded forests area were augmented under compensatory afforestation.
Footfalls rise despite reverses Consecutive floods in the past two years and the Nipah outbreak affected the tourism sector. But Kerala still had net revenues of Rs 36,528 crore from the
tourism sector in 201819, an increase of Rs 2,874 crore from 201718. Over 16.7 million tourists visited Kerala in 2018 as against 15.8 million the previous year. Among them were 1.09 million foreigners. But the 10 per cent yony growth rate Kerala tourism had till 2010 has vanished.
Quench your thirst
Kerala’s public water supply schemes are among the best in the country. As per the State Planning Board data, 55.8 per cent of the population gets piped water under the 1,044 schemes across the state. Around 51.1 per cent rural and 61.8 per cent urban families are covered under the scheme.
Some 99.4 per cent of households in urban areas have a toilet within the residential premises. Rural Kerala was declared open defecation free (ODF) in November 2016. The state has built on this further, ensuring toilets to all new families. Kerala achieved its total toilets furnished in all houses target in March 2019 with the construction of 323,697 toilets for families below the poverty line. All government and stateaided schools have separate toilet facilities for girls and boys. ■