Kochi: The ICAR-Central Marine Fisheries Research Institute (CMFRI) will set up Water Clinics in the coastal region of the state to assess the quality of drinking water used by the people in the areas. The move comes in the wake of a recent study report which found alarming level of E coli contamination in the Vembanad lake. Some strains of the E coli bacteria can cause serious food poisoning.

The CMFRI will collaborate with the Nansen Environmental Research Centre, Kochi, the National Institute of Oceanography (NIO), the Public Health Department and other agencies to set up the Water Clinics.

“At a time when climate change continues to fuel storm surges and resulting coastal flooding, the proposed clinics are aimed at assessing the quality of drinking water resources in coastal communities”, said Dr A Gopalakrishnan, director of CMFRI.
He was speaking at an awareness workshop on climate change among the fisherfolk residing in Chellanam and Puthuveypu in Ernakulam district.

“The new initiative is in line with the ‘One Health’ concept that aims to achieve optimal health for the people, aquatic animals and plants, and the environment,” he said.

In continuation of the existing research project to understand the extent of pathogenic vibrio pollution in the Vembanad, the Water Clinics are expected to maintain the quality of the drinking water resources in the region, thereby preventing the spread of waterborne diseases in the community”.

Emulating the success model of the ‘Citizen Science’ initiative for the Vembanad research project, the participation of students will be ensured to conduct massive water quality checks in the coastal region with the support of a mobile application, he said.

‘Coastal flooding increased’
While sharing their experience of the impact of climate change, the fishermen described the increased frequency and intensity of coastal flooding that wreaks havoc on their daily lives and aquaculture practices. They also expressed concern over the evidently visible environmental disturbances in water bodies such as sedimentation and obstructed water flow, as well as the growing incidences of disease outbreaks among aquaculture farms. Dr C Ramachandran who moderated the discussion said fishermen are the most vulnerable sect to the impact of climate change.

Climate aid to fisher families
The awareness workshop was organised by the National Innovations in Climate Resilient Agriculture (NICRA) research project of the CMFRI. In an effort to minimise the losses caused by climate change on the coastal communities, the CMFRI provided climate aid to 24 fisher families belonging to the Scheduled Castes communities residing in Chellanam and Puthuveypu, on the occasion. As part of this, implements such as fishing nets, freezers, ice boxes, motor pump sets, fish seeds and feeds worth Rs 2.5 lakhs were distributed among the fishermen under the Scheduled Caste Sub Plan (SCSP) programme of the NICRA project of the institute.