Thiruvananthapuram | Keralam Water Resources Minister Mons Joseph on Monday said the government would form an expert committee comprising specialists from research institutions and various departments to explore scientific and sustainable solutions to the spread of water hyacinth in the state's water bodies.
Replying to a calling attention motion at the Assembly, the minister said the committee would examine global practices for removing the invasive aquatic plants and explore ways to convert them into useful raw materials and value-added products.
"The government is prepared to examine how the possibilities available across the world can be utilised in Keralam," the minister said, adding that the committee would suggest measures to clean water bodies and address the challenges faced by agriculture, inland fishing and water transport.
The committee would include experts from the Kerala Agricultural University, the Centre for Water Resources Development and Management (CWRDM), the Kerala State Council for Science, Technology and Environment, fisheries research institutions and other organisations concerned with the issue, he said.
Representatives of the Agriculture, Fisheries and Industries departments would also be involved in examining how the plants could be put to productive use, including through self-employment ventures, the minister added.
The minister acknowledged that the existing practice of removing the plants mechanically and dumping them along riverbanks and canals was ineffective, as they often returned to the water bodies.
"Water hyacinth is again filling the waterways soon after it is removed. The current method of scooping it out with machines and dumping it on the banks is not proving effective," he said.
The spread of water hyacinth has severely affected agricultural activities, local fishing and navigation, particularly in the Kuttanad and Upper Kuttanad regions and the Kole wetlands, the minister said.
The plants obstruct boat movement and water flow, while their dense growth reduces sunlight penetration and oxygen availability in the water, affecting aquatic ecosystems.
C Raveendranath, who raised the issue during the Assembly proceedings, called for a comprehensive research project involving CWRDM, Kerala Agricultural University, the Integrated Rural Technology Centre (IRTC), the Kerala Institute of Local Administration (KILA) and the Agriculture and Irrigation departments.
He said the rapid growth of water hyacinth was linked to the entry of excess nitrogen from chemical fertilisers into water bodies.
He warned that unscientific disposal, including drying and burning the plants, could contribute to carbon dioxide emissions. Decomposition in wet conditions could also release methane, he said.
Raveendranath suggested exploring the use of the plants as raw materials for products such as biofuel, mushroom-growing beds and fuel briquettes. He also cited their potential to extract beta-carotene and utilise cellulose.