Residents urge action to protect Kottooly wetlands from encroachment in Kerala

The Sarovaram Mangrove and Wetland Protection Committee has called on Revenue Minister K. Rajan to address encroachments on the Kottooly wetlands. A petition signed by about 500 local residents was submitted on January 9, highlighting illegal activities threatening the ecosystem. The memorandum points to encroachments near the Sarovaram Bio Park, including areas around the Calicut Trade Centre and Markaz International School. It criticizes the Revenue department for not taking action against these violations and notes that residents face intimidation for speaking out. The Kottooly wetlands, covering 258 acres in Kozhikode, are proposed as a RAMSAR site. The committee emphasized the need for protection and requested corrections to errors in the wetlands map published by the State Wetland Authority. Minister Rajan acknowledged the concerns raised.