The Silent Danger Beneath the Soil: How Red Soil from Kottayam is Bringing Venomous Snakes to Alappuzha

Alappuzha, the serene land of backwaters, paddy fields, and coir, is undergoing a transformation both visible and invisible. While development projects, housing expansion, and shifts in agriculture reshape the surface, an often-ignored but serious consequence lies beneath the soil. The import of red soil from districts like Kottayam for agriculture, construction, and landscaping is unintentionally contributing to a rising threat of venomous snakebites in Alappuzha.

Soil Types in Alappuzha and Kottayam: A Clear Contrast

Alappuzha Soils

• Kari Soils (Peaty soils): Found in low-lying, marshy regions such as Kuttanad. These are dark, waterlogged, highly organic, and acidic soils.

• Alluvial Soils: Common along riverbanks and delta regions.

• Sandy Coastal Soils: Found near beaches, low in fertility, and with low water-holding capacity.

These soils are naturally suited for wetland crops like paddy, but less suitable for dryland crops or construction without modification.

Kottayam Soils

• Laterite Soils: Common in upland and midland areas, rich in iron and aluminum, often reddish in color.

• Alluvial Soils: Present along river valleys; generally more fertile and better-drained.

• Peaty (Kari) Soils: Found in some low-lying areas, similar to Alappuzha’s peat soils.

Kottayam’s soils are more diverse, and red lateritic soils from upland areas are frequently transported to Alappuzha.

Why Soil is Brought from Kottayam to Alappuzha

1. Agricultural Improvement: Alappuzha’s soils are generally not ideal for crops like coconut, tapioca, or fruit trees due to poor nutrient content and drainage issues. To improve fertility and reduce waterlogging in some areas, red soil is often added. However, in certain locations, adding red soil can actually increase waterlogging by reducing the natural infiltration capacity of sandy soils

2. Landscaping and House Plot Development: Red soil is favored for home gardens and leveling plots before construction.

3. Soil Reclamation: Waterlogged or low-lying areas are filled with red soil to reclaim land for housing or dryland farming.

Infiltration and Percolation: The Hidden Hydrological Consequences

Soil transport doesn't just move earth; it moves the way water behaves in an area.

Understanding Infiltration and Percolation

• Infiltration is the process by which water enters the soil from the surface.

• Percolation is the movement of that water deeper through the soil layers.

Alappuzha District’s Kari Soils

Kari soils are organic-rich, acidic, and compact soils typically found in the Kuttanad region. Due to their physical nature:

• Infiltration and percolation rates are very slow.

• These soils retain surface water efficiently, making them ideal for rice paddy cultivation.

• However, they are prone to waterlogging, which, although a challenge for infrastructure, supports wetland biodiversity and contributes to groundwater recharge.

Alappuzha’s Sandy Soils

Found along the coastal belts Mararikulam, Thumpoly, Arthunkal, Cherthala, etc., these are loose, sandy soils:

• Extremely fast infiltration and percolation rates, leading to poor water retention.

• They dry out quickly and are low in nutrients, requiring frequent irrigation and organic amendments.

• These soils support coconut groves, casuarina plantations, and coastal vegetation, but crop cultivation is limited without soil enrichment.

Kottayam Soils

Kottayam features:

• Laterite soils, often moderately to highly permeable (especially when sandy or gravelly).

• Alluvial soils, which vary in permeability depending on their texture.

• Peaty soils, somewhat similar to Alappuzha’s Kari soils, though less commonly transported.

Problems When Soils Are Mixed Across Districts

For many years, soil from Kottayam (especially red laterite) has been introduced to parts of Alappuzha for construction, landscaping, or perceived agricultural improvement. However, this practice has triggered several ecological and public health issues:

1. Reduced Infiltration and Percolation

• Alappuzha's natural sandy soils allow water to drain quickly, avoiding water stagnation.

• Introducing laterite or red soils, even in thin layers, can form a compact cap that significantly reduces infiltration and percolation capacity.

• Combined with increased built-up land, this leads to surface runoff accumulation and increases flood risk during heavy rains.

2. Flooding and Inundation Risks

• Alappuzha has a naturally low-lying terrain with many canals, ponds, and backwaters.

• But due to land use changes and waterbody encroachments, natural drainage is already compromised.

• With red soil acting as a sealant, water cannot percolate and ends up accumulating on the surface, especially in previously well-draining areas.

• Urban flooding and prolonged water stagnation are now reported in areas that were earlier immune to such problems.

3. Public Health Impacts

• The poor drainage caused by red soil increases stagnant water pits, becoming ideal breeding grounds for mosquitoes.

• This contributes to a rise in vector-borne diseases, including dengue, chikungunya, and Japanese encephalitis, which are already concerns in water-rich districts like Alappuzha.

4. Groundwater Recharge Disruption

• Alappuzha’s sandy soils naturally recharge aquifers quickly.

• Red soil pits trap water on the surface, limiting downward flow into aquifers, thereby reducing groundwater recharge in some areas over time.

5. The Snake Connection: How Soil Brings Venom to Alappuzha

Red soil, particularly from the lateritic upland areas of Kottayam, may contain snake eggs or even small or fully grown snakes hidden in crevices. These are transported unknowingly during:

• Tractor or lorry soil movements.

• Soil dumping for landfills and construction.

• Agricultural projects in rural zones.

Once in Alappuzha’s warmer, wetter environment with fewer natural predators, these snakes thrive. Over time, they begin to establish populations in gardens, fields, and even near homes.

Venomous Species Commonly Introduced

Russell’s Viper (Daboia russelii)

Spectacled Cobra (Naja naja)

Common Krait (Bungarus caeruleus)

These snakes were previously rare in Alappuzha’s low-lying wetland environment, but now reports of sightings and bite cases are increasing each year.

Consequences: Environmental, Health, and Economic

1. Environmental Impact

• Loss of native biodiversity due to predation by non-native snakes.

• Decline in frogs, insects, and small mammals that help maintain ecological balance.

• Alteration of wetland dynamics due to incompatible soil drainage properties.

2. Public Health Crisis

• Alappuzha hospitals report a notable rise in snakebite cases from previously snake-safe regions.

• Bite cases during farming, home gardening, and construction work have increased.

• Delayed access to antivenom, especially in rural areas, increases risk of death or permanent injury.

3. Healthcare and Economic Burden

• Treatment costs for venomous snakebites can range from ₹10,000 to over ₹1 lakh depending on complications.

• Loss of income due to hospital stays.

• Pressure on rural healthcare systems, especially in taluk and PHC hospitals.

• Mental health trauma, especially among children, women, and the elderly.

What Can Be Done? Solutions and Recommendations

1. Enforce Soil Transport Regulations

• Implement inspection protocols for soil brought from other districts.

• Require permits for soil movement with environmental checks.

2. Quarantine and Screening of Soil

• Fumigate or sieve soil before using it in new locations.

• Train transporters and farmers to check for eggs and small animals.

3. Community Awareness Programs

• Conduct snakebite awareness and first-aid workshops.

• Promote protective measures like using boots during farming or fencing gardens.

4. Improve Medical Infrastructure

• Ensure antivenom availability at all PHCs and taluk hospitals.

• Train local healthcare workers in snakebite identification and treatment.

5. Promote Sustainable Land Use

• Avoid unnecessary soil importation.

• Use composting, bio-manure, and native soil improvement techniques.

• Conserve the wetland heritage of Alappuzha instead of altering its natural terrain.

Alappuzha’s transformation through imported red soil may seem like a solution for productivity and construction, but it comes with invisible costs. The introduction of venomous snakes hidden in soil, the disruption of water balance, and the growing threat to human lives and ecology are consequences we can no longer ignore.

Alappuzha, with its fragile lowland ecosystem, cannot be treated like upland districts. Any development must respect its natural drainage, biodiversity, and soil-water relationship.

Let us remember:

“When we move soil, we move ecosystems and sometimes, we move venom.”

It’s time we start acting with awareness and responsibility.