Wetlands Threatened: Project Sparks Activist Outcry

Environmental groups are employing documentary filmmaking and biodiversity documentation to protest the Mamallan reservoir project, which threatens to alter the Kovalam-Nemmeli wetlands. This vital coastal area, spanning over 8,500 acres, serves as a crucial meeting point for freshwater and seawater systems and is a significant stopover on the Central Asian Flyway for migratory birds.

Documentary filmmaker Deepak Venkatachalam emphasizes the importance of visual storytelling in conservation, stating, "We try to break that barrier by bringing in people and increasing the footfall to these places." His film, 'Nemmeli's Last Tide,' along with efforts by the Palluyir Trust and their book 'Kovalam-Nemmeli Coastal Wetland: A Biodiversity Montage,' aim to showcase the area's rich biodiversity, including 232 documented species and thousands of migratory birds.

The proposed reservoir project endangers not only the ecosystem but also the livelihoods of over 7,000 families from 16 villages who depend on the wetlands for fishing, particularly for prawns and crabs. Traditional practices like Iral Thazhuvuthal are at risk, as the conversion of the wetland could significantly reduce the earnings of fisherfolk, potentially forcing them to seek precarious work elsewhere.