By our Special Correspondent
Thrissur, July 27 (BDN) Although the wetlands in the Thrissur District had been granted Ramsar tag as part of Vembanad Ramsar site, no proposal for wetlands (Kole lands) in the Ponnani taluk of Malappuram for granting Ramsar tag, according to the reply to RTI application.
Out of a total of 13,622 hectares of Kole lands ,10187 hectares fell under Thrissur District , and 3,450 hectares situated in Ponnani Taluk, the official sources said.
Of this, 22.3 per cent of gross rice area situated in Thrissur district and eleven per cent of the kole area (2026 hectares) is located in Malappuram district which accounts for 4 per cent of the gross rice area in the district, the sources added.
As far as Thrissur and Malappuram districts are concerned the kole lands are the rice granary of the tract. The kole lands are distributed in Mukundapuram. Chavakad, Thrissur and Thalappilly Taluks of Thrissur District and Ponnani Taluk of Malappuram District, the sources added.
The area from Velukkara in the south on the Chalakudy river bank in Mukundapuram taluk to Mullassery of Chavakad and Tholur-Kaiparamba areas of Thrissur Taluk is designated as ‘Thrissur kole’ and contiguous area from Chavakad and Choondal to Thavannur , covering Chavakad and Thalappally taluks of Thrissur District and Ponnani Taluk of M kole’. alappuram district form the ‘Ponnani .
Ramsar sites in Kerala are as follows: Vembanad, Ashtamudi and Sasthmkota.
