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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.

[email protected]

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.


• 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.


• 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.


• 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.


• 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.


• 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.


• 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.


• 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


• 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%).


• 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).


• 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.

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