The process of conversion of land for non-agricultural use, led to the decline in the average land area owned by each household, leading to a decline in employment among the agricultural laborers located in the fringe areas of the prominent cities of Kerala. Only a comprehensive alternative employment policy using the funds raised through conversion tax will solve this problem. But it is easier said than done.

The spurt in building

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is witnessing now are actually part of the massive real estate developments that are taking place mostly on lands that have been earlier used for agricultural purposes. No resistance to this large-scale reclamation of wetlands was seen mainly due to the continued outflow of agricultural labor to other sectors that offered consistent employment, better opportunities and higher wages.

If the present trend is to continue, in the near future, a major shortage in skilled labor may affect the real estate growth. Already a vast majority of the skilled workers are those from the North Indian states of West Bengal, Assam and Orissa. Due to the low wages in those backward states, skilled construction workers are now flocking to the high wage destinations like Kochi.

While the large scale conversion of agricultural wetlands are likely to cause a severe food shortage in the event of an uncontrollable financial or economic crisis, the damage to the environment is likely to be irreversible. But few people are willing to listen to the concerns of the environmentalists and agricultural scientists.

The government is also unable to stop the trend in reclamation of agricultural lands since a vast majority of the common public is now averse to taking up employment opportunities in the agricultural sector. Fearing a public backlash, the government is also keeping mum on the developments in the real estate sector. Thus most of the laws enacted earlier remain largely on paper.