valadi village ecosystem - centre for ecological …ces.iisc.ernet.in/ravi/vnrm/pdf/valadi.pdfvaladi...
Post on 18-Apr-2018
216 Views
Preview:
TRANSCRIPT
State of Environment and
Natural Resources 2006
Tiruchirapalli District, Tamil Nadu
Tamil Nadu Uplands and Plains
Centre for Environment Education Tamil Nadu,Chennai - 600091
LOGO
Centre for Sustainable Technologies,Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore 560012
CEE
Valadi Village Ecosystem
Valadi Village Ecosystem; State of Environment and Natural Resources 2006
Centre for Environment Education Tamil Nadu
Chennai - 600091
Published by
Centre for Sustainable Technologies,
Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore – 560012
Karnataka, India.
Year of publication
2007
Team–CEE TN
Arunkumar S, Manikandan A, Shiva Prabhu G, Mahamuni D
Team–IISc
Deepa Kumar, Girish A C, Hameedulla Khan, Mythri D J, Sannadurgappa S D
Coordinated by
N Ramjee
CEE- TN
and
N H Ravindranath, Indu K Murthy, Rakesh Tiwari
CST, IISc
Supported by
India Canada Environment Facility
New Delhi - 110066
Contact
N. H. Ravindranath
Centre for Sustainable Technologies
Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore – 560012
Karnataka, India.
ravi@ces.iisc.ernet.in
Acknowledgement
We would like to thank Dr. Sandhya Rao, Dr. K Kameshwar Rao, Dr. Ramakrishna Parama, Dr. P Pramod,
Dr. Shailaja Ravindranath, Mr. Mariappa Raju and Mr K R Thiruppathi for the technical support. We thank
Y Joshi for editing the draft report. The invaluable support provided by the people of Valadi is deeply
appreciated.
Contents
1. Introduction ...................................................................................................1
2. Demography and Rainfall ...........................................................................4
3. Land ................................................................................................................6
4. Livestock ....................................................................................................... 13
5. Water and Soil .............................................................................................14
6. Energy and Sanitation ................................................................................16
7. Fish Resource ................................................................................................17
8. Summary ....................................................................................................... 18
9. Key Environmental Issues ............................................................................19
1
C onservation and sustainable
management of natural resources
are fundamental to sustainable food
production, water supply and livelihoods.
Natural resources such as land,
biodiversity, water, livestock and soil
are being continually exploited by
human societies often leading to the
degradation of these resources. Village
ecosystems are complex systems with
inter-linkages between natural resources
and the livelihoods of communities.
The state of environment and natural
resource report of a village focuses on
major natural resources, their status and
trends over the years and also the
inter-linkages. With this understanding,
the report highlights key environmental
issues with implications for resources,
livelihoods and sustainability. To
understand the status of and trends in the
resources, indicators were identified and
an inventory of the natural resources
carried out. The agro-ecological zone
(AEZ) approach was adopted in
selecting the vil lage, taking into
consideration the key features of the
selected AEZ and the representativeness
of the vil lage. This facilitates
understanding of the strata of the sub-
AEZ in which the village is located. This
report serves as a model and has been
generated adopting the indicators and
methods developed by the Indian
Institute of Science for monitoring
natural resources.
The report presents general information
of the vil lage in the initial section.
Subsequent sections systematically
address the status of various resources,
and the final section concludes with a
synthesis of the findings, which identify
inter-linkages of various resources and
environmental issues.
1. Introduction
1.1. Utility of a State of theEnvironment Report
This state of village environment report
is important to the following entities:
l Village communities including
farmers and particularly women to
assist them in decision-making on the
use and management of natural
resources.
l Policy-makers at regional, state and
national level to help them design
strategies and policies to conserve
natural resources.
l Distr ict/block/panchayat-level
planners and decision-makers.
l Development departments such as
forests, agriculture, pasture
development, water resource, and
the environment to promote
sustainable practices.
l Educational institutions to create
awareness.
1.2. Agro-Ecological ZoneApproach
India is a large country with diverse
temperature, rainfall, soil, vegetation
and socio-economic conditions. AEZ
categorization is based on the length
of the growing period (LGP), which
is derived from climate, soil and
topography data using a water
balance model and knowledge of
crop requirements. The AEZ approach
is adopted by FAO and other
agencies for all forest, cropland and
other land-resource-related planning
activities.
India has been divided into 20 AEZs based
on rainfall, moisture and temperature
regimes, soil type, land form, etc.
2
The AEZ and village ecosystem approach
is adopted in this study for the following
reasons:
l AEZ is widely used by the Planning
Commission, the Ministry of
Agriculture, National Bureau for Soil
Survey and Land-Use Planning,
agricultural universities, and
others.
l A strong functional
interdependence exists among
the natural resources (forests,
watersheds, grasslands, water
bodies, livestock and cropland) at
the village environment level in
each AEZ.
l Decision-making on the use and
management of natural resources
such as forests, biodiversity, grazing
lands and irrigation water occurs at
the village environment level.
l Participatory institutions such as
water sanghas, forest protection
committees and biodiversity
management committees are
organized and function at the
village level.
l Overlaying the natural ecosystem
boundary of an AEZ with
administrative boundaries gives a
unique combination of physical,
biological and socio-economic
perspectives.
1.3. Village Location
• Valadi village is part of Lalgudi taluk
of Tiruchirapalli district of Tamil
Nadu (Figure 1).
• Valadi is approximately 6 km from
Lalgudi at 10°522 21.13 N and
78°452 22.93 E.
• The vil lage falls under the
agro-ecological sub-zone 8.3, the
Tamil Nadu uplands and plains
of India, characterized by hot moist
semi-arid climate with deep red
loamy soils.
1.4. Reason for Selecting Valadi
• Intensive agriculture has been
practised for many decades and
the communities have been
continually exploiting such natural
resources as soil and water.
• The natural resources of the village
have not been studied so far.
Figure 1: Location of the village
TIRUCHIRAPALLI
TAMIL NADU
VALADI
3
l Land survey to demarcate and map
different land-use systems as well as
estimate the area under each to
enable comparison with past data
and to understand changes in land-
use pattern.
l Household survey to obtain
information on cropping pattern,
water sources, fuelwood
catchment area, consumption
pattern, etc.
l Field measurements to estimate
biomass in different vegetation
types, fuelwood, water
consumption, dung production by
cattle and assessment of fish
resources and diversity.
l Laboratory measurements to
measure the quality of drinking
water and the status of soil quality
in terms of soil organic carbon.
l Participatory Rural Appraisal (PRA)
to gather detailed and qualitative
descriptions of village resources,
patterns of use, trends and changes
in the status of resources over the
years.
1.7. Monitoring Period
• The study was conducted in Valadi
vil lage during September 2006
to March 2007 (referred to as
“Current”).
• The land use and the cropping
pattern in particular refer to the
main cropping season (kharif), i.e.
October to January.
1.5. Natural ResourcesMonitored
The resources monitored in Valadi
village ecosystem include:
l Demography: Population and land
holding pattern.
l Climate: Rainfall pattern.
l Land Resources: Cropland,
wasteland, agro-forestry and
plantations.
l Livestock Resources: Population,
breeds, grazing pattern and dung
production.
l Water Resources: Rivers, canals,
wells and drinking water sources.
l Soil Resources: Organic matter
status.
l Wildlife Resources: Large mammals
and birds.
l Fish Resources: Diversity,
production and consumption
patterns.
l Settlements and Infrastructure:
Sanitation, electrification status,
schools, housing areas and roads.
1.6. Methods Adopted
The following methods were adopted to
assess the status of various resource and
resource indicators.
l Secondary records for data on
rainfall, population, land-use
pattern, livestock, etc.
4
2. Demography and Rainfall
2.1. Demography
2.1.1. Current Population
The population of Valadi in 2006 was
3622, comprising 1758 men and 1864
women. The total number of households
in Valadi is 850.
2.1.2. Trends in Population
• The overall population in this village
decreased gradually from 3802 in
1990 to 3622 in 2006.
• However, the numbers of
households increased from 649 in
1990 to 850 in 2006 (Figure 2).
2.1.3. Factors Contributing
• Population of Valadi has changed
very little in the last fifteen years.
• Urbanization plays a major role in
the increase in the number of
households in the village.
2.2. Occupation Pattern
2.2.1. Current
• Valadi has 42% households with
landless farmers (Figure 3).
• “Small farmers” (less than 2.5 acres
of land) account for 28% of the
villagers.
• Roughly, 8% of the farmers are
“medium farmers” (2.5–5.0 acres of
land).
• Only about 1% of the farmers are
“large farmers” (more than 5 acres
of land).
• Villagers involved in fishing for
their l ivelihood form 6% of the
population.
• Communities dependent on other
occupations, e.g. business, brick
making, and wage labour, form 15%
of the population.
Figure 2: Trends in population and
number of households
4200
3600
3000
2400
1800
1200
600
0
Num
ber
1990 2001 2006
Population Households
2.3. Climate: Rainfall
1.3.1. Current
• The mean annual rainfall of
Tiruchirapalli district is 880 mm.
Figure 3: Occupation pattern
Landless
labour
42% Small
farmers
28%
Medium
farmers
8%Large
farmers
1%
Others
15%
Fishermen
6%
5
• The mean annual rainfall of Lalgudi
taluk is 1036 mm.
• During 2006, Valadi recorded 1004
mm of rainfall.
• The village receives most of its
rainfall from the south-west monsoon
during July to September and from
the north-east monsoon in October
and December (Figure 4).
• In 2006, rainfall in Valadi was equally
divided between both the
monsoons.
2.3.2. Trends in Rainfall
• Rainfall of Valadi has been normal
over the past two years.
Figure 4: Monthly rainfall of 2006
Jan
250
200
150
100
50
0
Ra
infa
ll in
mm
28 45
026
106
24
157
243 231
8163
0
Feb
Mar
Apr
Ma
y
Jun
Ju
l
Aug
Sep
Oct
No
v
De
c
• During 1994-95, Valadi received
very l itt le rain, a drought year
(Figure 5).
2.3.3. Implications
Fluctuations in rainfall have significant
implications for water supply, food and
fodder production.
Figure 5: Rainfall pattern of Lalgudi Taluk
6
3. Land
3.1.1. Current Land Use
The total geographic area of Valadi is
268 ha. The broad land-use systems
include:
• Cropland, fallow land, settlements,
infrastructure and water bodies
(Figure 6).
• Currently, cropland accounts for
183 ha, about 68% of the total area
of Valadi.
3.1. Land Use
Valadi shares its boundaries with
Sirumaruthur and Keelaperungavur
villages to the north, with Pudukkudi
village to the west, with Valavanur and
Thirumanmedu villages to the south and
with Nerinjialkkudi village to the east.
The settlements are located on the
western and eastern parts of the village
and along either sides of the road to
Lalgudi.
Figure 6: Current land use
SIRAMARUTHUR
KEELA
PPERUNGAVU
R
PU
DU
KK
UD
I
ESANAKORAL
VALAVANURTHIRUMANMEDU
PAMBARAMCHUTTI
NE
RIN
JL
AL
KK
UD
I
Fallow
7
• The area under settlement and
infrastructure is 66 ha (25% of
the total area), which includes
houses, school, roads and railways
(Figure 7).
• About 10 ha of land is currently
fallow.
• Canals account for approximately
9 ha of the land area.
3.1.2. Trends in Land-use
Past information on land use has been
compiled from records maintained by
the village administrative officer. Trends
in major land uses over a decade are
discussed in this section.
• Cropland: Net cropped area came
down from 221 ha in 1990 to 183 ha
in 2006 (Figure 8).
• Fallow land: Area under fallow land
increased from 6 ha in 1990 to 10 ha
in 2006.
• Water bodies and Infrastructures:
The area under water bodies and
infrastructure is currently 25 ha.
• Settlements: Area under
settlements increased from 16 ha
in 1990 to 50 ha in 2006.
3.1.3. Factors Contributing
• The decrease in cropland could be
attributed to urbanization and
increase in area under settlements.
3.1.4. Implications
• Decrease in the cropland area
would mean decreased agricultural
production.
• Increase in the settlement area
indicates permanent loss of area
under cultivation.
3.2. Cropping Pattern
There are three cropping seasons in
the village. The first cropping season is
June–September. The second cropping
season is October–January; maximum
rainfall is received in this season and the
third cropping season is February–May,
when the there is no water in the canals.
Paddy is grown in the first and second
seasons. Black gram is the major
third-season crop and other crops
cultivated during this season include
sesame and green gram. The percent
area under major irrigated crops is given
in Figure 9.
3.2.1. Current Cropping Pattern
• Almost all the land in the village is
irrigated by the three canals that
bring water from the Kollidam river.
• The major irrigated crops of Valadi
are paddy and banana; other crops
Figure 8: Changes in area under
cropland and settlement
Cropland Settlement
50
16
183
221
300
200
100
0
Are
a in
ha
1990 2006
Figure 7: Current land use of Valadi
Cropland
68%
Infrastructure
25%
Fallow
land
4%
Canals
3%
8
include coconut and sugarcane
(Figure 9).
• Paddy is cultivated on 135 ha
(74% of the total cropped area)
(Figure 9).
• Banana accounts for 28 ha (15%) of
the total cropped area.
• Sugarcane is cultivated on roughly
16 ha (9%).
• Coconut accounts for
approximately 4 ha (2%) of the total
cropped area.
• The area under major crops in
Valadi is illustrated in Figure 10.
Figure 10: Major crops of Valadi
Paddy Banana
Sugarcane Coconut
Figure 9: Percent area under different
crops
Paddy
74% Banana
15%
Sugarcane
9%
Coconut
2%
9
3.2.2. Trends in Cropping Pattern
Past data related to cropping pattern
was collected from the vil lage
administrative office, taluk office,
panchayat office and panchayat union
office.
• The area under paddy is 75 ha less
than the area cultivated in 1990
(Figure 11).
labour-intensive crops like coconut
and banana.
3.2.4. Implications
• Decreased yield of paddy means
decreased returns from agriculture
in the village.
• Conversion of cropland to
settlement leads to permanent loss
of fertile land.
3.3. Crop Varieties
3.3.1. Current Crop Varieties
• Paddy varieties currently under
cultivation are andhra ponni, ponni,
ADT46, ADT36 and IR20.
• Banana varieties currently under
cultivation are rasthali and
nendhran.
3.3.2. Trends in Crop Varieties
• In the past decade IR20, AC10,
ADT18 and IR8 were the paddy
varieties cultivated.
• Currently, traditional local varieties
of paddy are not cultivated in
Valadi.
• Rasthali and poovan were the
varieties of banana grown during
the last decade.
• Now almost all the farmers have
shifted to high-yielding varieties of
banana for higher returns.
3.3.3. Factors Contributing
• The loss of traditional varieties is
due to the introduction of
high-yielding varieties.
3.3.4. Implications
• Loss of traditional varieties means
a permanent loss of biodiversity.
• The introduced variety may
become susceptible to pests and
diseases.
• The area under banana has
increased by 22 ha since 1990.
• There is an increase of 13 ha in the
area under sugarcane compared to
the area in 1990.
3.2.3. Factors Contributing
• Market forces have driven the
farmers to cultivate banana and
sugarcane in place of paddy.
• Paddy cultivation involves
many labour-intensive activities
such as preparing the land,
sowing, weeding and harvesting but
the labour is frequently not
available.
• Increase in wages to daily labour in
the region has contributed to
farmers shifting from paddy to less
Figure 11: Changes in cropping pattern
1990
2006
210
135
6
28
316
2 4
Paddy Banana Sugarcane Coconut
240
200
160
120
80
40
0
Are
a (ha)
10
3.4. Fertilizer and ManureApplication
3.4.1. Current
Observations based on the household
survey indicate the following with
respect to use of fertilizers for different
crops.
• Paddy: All farmers cultivating paddy
use synthetic ferti l izers. On an
average, 368 kg/ha/year of
synthetic fertilizers such as urea,
potash, super phosphate and DAP
is applied to paddy (Figure 12).
• Banana: All farmers cultivating
banana use synthetic fertilizers.
About 600 kg/ha/year of synthetic
fertilizers (the same as those for
paddy) is used.
• Sugarcane: On an average, all
sugarcane-cultivating farmers
use 650 kg/ha/year of synthetic
fertilizers.
• Very few farmers use farmyard
manure.
3.4.2. Implications
• Reduced use of organic manure,
particularly green manure crops,
over the years may adversely affect
soil fertility and sustainability of crop
yields.
• Excessive use of synthetic fertilizers
may have adverse effect on soil
biota.
3.5. Crop Yield
3.5.1. Trends in Crop Yields
The information on crop yields was
obtained through household survey.
• Paddy: Nearly 40% of the farmers
growing paddy reported a
decrease in yield.
• Banana: A large number of farmers
reported only a minor change in
yield over the years.
• Sugarcane: 80% of farmers growing
sugarcane reported a decrease in
yield.
3.5.2. Factors Contributing
• A high incidence of seedling borer,
mealy bugs and whitefly in sugarcane
have decreased the yield.
• Paddy yield has decreased
considerably due to pest attack
and decrease in soil fertility.
3.5.3. Implications
• Increased use of ferti l izers and
pesticides.
• Improper use of pesticides in the
long-term has made the pests more
resistant to these chemicals and
increased the cost of production.
3.6. Pests, Diseases andPesticides
3.6.1. Current
• Paddy: Stem borer is the most
serious pest of paddy. Other major
pests include leaf roller and blast.
Monocrotophos and endosulphan
are the pesticides used for
controlling these insects and pests.
Figure 12: Quantity of fertilizer applied for
major crops
368
600
650
8006004002000
Paddy
Banana
Sugarcane
Fertilizer use in kg/ha
11
• Other species account for 3% of
the total trees. Among these,
mango is cultivated only as block
plantations.
Roadside: In Valadi, roads and railway
tracks account for about 15 ha.
• Tamarind is the most dominant
species (32%) present along the
roadside having a density of 5 trees/
ha (Figure 14).
• Banana: Farmers growing banana
crop did not report any pest and
disease attack.
• Sugarcane: Over 50% of farmers
reported wilting due to seedling
borer. Other major pests include
mealy bugs and whitefly. Nearly 30%
of the farmers reported rot. The
pests were controlled using
endosulphan, dimethoate and
butachlor.
3.7. Agro-forestry – Croplandand Roadside
3.7.1. Current Agro-forestry Practice
Croplands: In Valadi, agro-forestry is
practised in roughly 12 ha. About five
species were identified in the cropland.
Of the total area under agro-forestry,
57% of the area is under bund plantations
and 43% under block plantations.
• Teak is the dominant species (57%)
growing on the bunds of cropland
with an average density of 18 trees/
ha (Figure 13).
• Coconut is another dominant
species with an average density of
13 trees/ha, contributing to 40% of
the agro-forestry species; coconut
is cultivated only as block
plantations.
• Neem contributes to approximately
18% of the total trees (3 trees/ha).
• Coconut contributes to 16% of
the total trees along roadside
(2 trees/ha).
Canal vegetation: No trees are found
along the canal bunds. Only thorny
shrubs like Prosopis are found along the
bunds.
3.7.2. Trends in Tree Composition
The information about past agro-forestry
practices was obtained through PRA
and focus group discussions.
• Only coconut was grown along the
bunds in the past (2 decades ago).
• Now about 5 species are grown
along the bunds.
Figure 13: Agro-forestry tree composition
– cropland
Teak
57%
Others
3%
Coconut
40%
Figure 14: Agro-forestry tree composition
– roadside
Thespesia
5%
Mango
4%
Fanpalm
8% Tamarind
32%
Coconut
16%
Others
17%
Neem
18%
12
• The area under block plantations
has more or less stabilized over the
past few years.
3.7.3. Factors Contributing
• Market value of teak has
encouraged a few farmers to shift
to block cultivation of this species
on croplands.
3.7.4. Implications
• Increase in diversity of tree species
in the village ecosystem.
• Increased income from
commercially important species
such as teak.
13
4. Livestock
4.1. Livestock Population
4.1.1. Current
• Livestock population of the village
is 592.
• Cows number 276, and include
crossbreds (Jersey) as well as the
traditional breeds.
• Sheep and goats in the village
number 278.
• Bullock population is 38.
4.1.2. Trends in Livestock Population
• There is a significant decrease in
the total l ivestock population
(Figure 15).
• The shift from the traditional breeds
to crossbreds started in the 1980s.
• Milch animals have decreased by
30% over the period 1990 to 2001.
• Similarly population of draught
animals has decreased by 79% over
the same period (Figure 15).
• Sheep and goats have also
declined drastically from 939 (1990)
to 278 (2006), a 73% decrease.
4.1.3. Factors Contributing
• Non-availability of grazing land.
• Development and mechanization
in the region replacing draught
animals such as bullocks with
tractors.
• High incidence of disease in hybrids
discouraging farmers from rearing
livestock.
4.1.4. Implications
• Permanent loss of traditional
breeds.
4.2. Dung Production
• Milch animals such as crossbred
cows and local cows produce on
an average 9 kg of dung per day.
• A bullock produces on average
8 kg of dung per day.
• Dung is dried and converted to
traditional dung-cakes for use as
fuel for cooking.
Figure 15: Trends in livestock population
Milch
animals
Draught
animals
Sheep and
Goat
700
600
500
400
300
200
100
0
Popula
tion
1990 2001
14
5.1. Irrigation Water
5.1.1. Current Availability
• Ayyan, Panguni, Peruvalai and
Malataru are the major canals from
the Kollidam river that irrigate the
croplands of the village.
• Borewells are also used for
irrigation.
• About 34% of the farmers use canals
as the main source of irrigation and
about 66% of the farmers use
borewells as the main source of
irrigation (Figure 16).
5. Water and Soil
5.1.2. Trends
• 100% of the cropland in the village
is irrigated.
• There is an increasing trend to shift
to borewell irrigation in the village.
5.1.3. Factors Contributing
• Due to the increasing shortage of
water supply from Kollidam river,
farmers have started digging
borewells.
• Tamil Nadu government provides
free electricity for agricultural
activities. This has encouraged
farmers to shift to borewell irrigation
and pump excess water to the
fields.
5.1.4. Implications
• Excess pumping of water from
borewells may lead to depletion of
groundwater.
• Pumping excess water into fields
consumes more energy.
• Agricultural runoff from the fields
may cause eutrophication of open
wells, ponds and other water
bodies.
5.2. Drinking Water
5.2.1. Current Water Sources
Groundwater is the major source
of drinking water and of other domestic
needs. Panchayat water supply through
taps and hand-pumps depends on the
groundwater source.
5.2.2. Drinking Water Quality
• Total dissolved solids were found in
excess of the desirable limit in all
the sources (Table 1).
• Higher degree of hardness was
recorded in hand-pump water,
but it was within the permissible
limits.
• Total alkalinity was high in all the
sources.
5.2.3. Contributing Factors
• High alkalinity and total dissolved
solids can be attributed to
geological sources.
• Hardness is caused by the presence
of calcium and magnesium salts.
Figure 16: Irrigation sources
Borewell
66%
Canal
34%
15
5.3.1. Contributing Factors
• Presence of total coliform in
overhead tank water can be
attributed to contamination of
water by birds (improper covering)
• Tap water contamination may be
due to mixing of sewage water
during transmission.
• Contamination of the hand-pump
and borewell samples could be
attributed to the unhygienic
conditions around the water
sources.
5.3.2. Implications
• If pathogens are present, risk of
water-borne diseases are high.
5.4. Soil Quality
• The major type of soil in the village
is black and clayey.
• Croplands with banana had high soil
organic carbon of 1.02%.
• Soils of paddy and sugarcane fields
show high percentage of organic
carbon (0.72 and 0.78%).
5.4.1. Contributing Factors
• Crop rotation, and good crop
management may have resulted in
increased percentage of organic
carbon.
5.2.4. Implications
• Water with high total dissolved
solids will be usually turbid; this does
not have any implications for
human health, but wil l restrict
consumption of water by imparting
a disagreeable taste to the
water.
• Total dissolved solids reduces the
quality of water, thereby affecting
cooking and washing.
5.3. Microbial Contamination
• 50% of the samples from tap water,
50% from the overhead tank, 86%
from hand-pumps and 33% from
borewells had coliform count well
within the standards (0–10 MPN/
100 ml)
• A total coliform count ranging
from 11 to 100 MPN/100 ml was
observed in 31% and 14% of tap
water and hand-pump samples,
respectively.
• The count was between 101 and
200 MPN/100 ml in 50% of overhead
tank samples and 4% of tap water
samples.
• In 4% of the tap water samples, the
count was 201–300 MPN/100 ml
total.
• In 8% of the tap water samples, the
count was 301–400 MPN/100 ml.
• The count exceeded 500 in 4% of
the tap water samples.
Table 1: Drinking water quality
Parameters# Desirable Permissible Taps Overhead Hand Borewells
limitξξξξξ limit*ξξξξξ tanks pumps
Total dissolved solids 500 2000 618.00 840.00 651.43 750.00
Total hardness 300 600 295.62 400.00 320.86 166.67
Total alkalinity 200 600 280.00 275.00 300.71 373.33
#mg/L; *in the absence of alternative source; ξBureau of Indian Standards
16
6. Energy and Sanitation
6.1. Energy Sources
6.1.1. Current
• Approximately 9% of households
have improved stoves.
• Households that own improved
stoves with a chimney account for
84% of the households.
• About 55% of the households have
LPG stoves.
6.1.2. Implications
• The maintenance of the improved
stoves is not proper, so the fuel
savings achieved is much less than
the potential.
• The stoves, which are not energy-
efficient, lead to overuse of
fuelwood and increased pressure
on forests and plantations.
6.2. Electrification Status
• All the households are electrified
and have electrical devices like
television sets and fans.
• Electricity is highly subsidized by the
government for agricultural needs.
6.3. Sanitation
• The status of sanitation in the village
is much above the state average.
• Nearly 60% of households have
toilets in them.
• All the toilets are of Indian style with
a septic tank, which are cleaned
regularly.
• All the households with toilets use
them regularly.
• Approximately 18% of the
households have tap connection in
the toilets.
• There are two community toilets in
the village. However, neither is in
use.
• In 93% of the households, the cattle
shed is separated from the house
while in the rest, the cattle shed is a
part of the house.
• Approximately 33% of the villagers
dispose off kitchen waste in the
farmyard manure pit while 67% of
the households use garbage pits for
the purpose.
17
7. Fish Resource
region. These include minnows
and barbs (Mystus cavisius,
Mastacembalus armatus), catfish
(Wallagatto), murrel and goby
(Channa mauril ius, Channa
punctatus and Channa striatus).
7.1.3. Factors Contributing
• Canals were perennial in the past
but now they are seasonal.
• Dynamite fishing is practised in the
region. This practice kills all fish in
the fishing site and destroys the
breeding grounds. This in the
long-run could decrease the fish
population.
• Runoff of agricultural pesticides
into the water bodies destroys the
spawning ground.
• Over-fishing and use of small-mesh
nets also reduces the fish
population.
7.1.1. Current Status
• The fishing areas include rivers,
canals, Kallanai dam and the
Mukkombu dam.
• Ten fish species are recorded.
• The dominant fish species
include ti lapia (Oreochromis
mossambicus), rohu (Labeo rohita),
and common carp (Cyprinus carp).
• A large number of the communities
consume fish in the village.
7.1.2. Trends
• About 50 fishermen were involved
in fishing in the past but now the
number has decreased to 23.
• Fish yield has decreased from 5400
quintal/year to 1500 quintal/year in
the last two decades.
• Fishermen reported that six fish
species have disappeared from the
18
8. Summary
• There is an alarming practice of
leaving ferti le croplands
continuously fallow for a few years
to have them converted into
“non-agricultural” lands.
• There has been a permanent loss of
38 hectares of fertile cropland in
the region within the last 15 years
alone.
• Paddy cultivation is on a drastic
decline (36% decrease) and the
cultivation of annual crops like
banana and sugarcane has
significantly increased.
• The practice of using farmyard
manure has disappeared almost
completely.
• There is a significant decrease in
the total l ivestock population,
including sheep and goats probably
due to lack of grazing area.
• There is an increasing trend to dig
more borewells in the region due to
seasonal availability of water in
the canals during major part of the
year.
• In the past, the canals that carry
water through the villages served
as fishing grounds for families in the
village. However, today nobody
practises fishing within the village.
Fishing is still practised by about 50
families in the village, who depend
on the nearby dams and the
Kollidam river for their catch.
There exists a functional
interdependence between all the
natural resources such as water bodies,
cropland, livestock and people in the
vil lage. Valadi is one such typical
agricultural vi l lage located in the
Lalgudi taluk of Tiruchirapalli district,
where intensive agriculture has been
practiced for a long time. The
fast-expanding city (Tiruchirapalli) in the
periphery is having a significant impact
on the way this village uses its natural
resources. Lack of assured supply of
water and the rising cost of land have
forced many landowners to abandon
the cultivation of water- and labour-
intensive crops. This has forced many
agricultural labourers to search for
alternative livelihoods. This trend if
continued could lead to scarcity of food
grains. Life of a significant proportion
of the population is however sti l l
dependant on the sustainability of
agricultural activities in the area.
This village exhibits significant changes
in all the natural resources that could in
the long-run have serious implications
on the quality of life. Some of these
include the following:
• There has been a significant
decrease in the cropped area.
• There has been a drastic increase
in the area under settlements,
probably as a result of the pressures
of urbanization.
19
9. Key Environmental Issues
l Loss of fertile croplands due to demand for land as a result of increasing need for
settlement area.
l Increased area under settlements increasing pressure on natural resources.
l Increased number of borewells may decrease the water table.
top related