'Sell your houses and leave, major danger awaits this Kerala city'

High range, Coastal region and Kuttanad are the three most affected areas in Kerala. Muralee Thummarukudy, the Director of the Coordination Office of the UNCCD, gave his take on the current happenings in Kerala. Despite not being affected by natural disasters, Thummarukudy said the three regions have witnessed a massive outflow of people.

“Fishing and farming are lucrative and can fill your pockets to help make a decent living. However, today’s youths are discontented over choosing this as a vocation. They have their reasons. When it comes to marriage proposals, girls seldom select youths indulged in farming or fishing.

Therefore, the population density seen in these places today will witness a massive dip in the next 20 years.

I often advise people settled in Kochi to sell their house and move to some other place. We can prevent the city from going into ruins by converting it into a buffer zone. It is also easy to map. Whenever rain gets incessant or a deluge happens, keenly observe the places that first get inundated. Mark that place as unlivable. Many of the places we see today in Ernakulam were once marshlands. If Ernakulam Bus Stand and Maharaja's College Ground can be converted into big ponds, Kochi can be saved from future floods." said Thummarukudy.