ACCRETION

I am aware that erosion of soil, loam and other decomposed organic matter and oil, and its precipitation in brine and accretion of new land mass is a continuing process. I have noticed that the Vembanad ‘Kayal’ is also shrinking gradually due to accumulation of sand, loamy soil and decomposed organic matter and other wastes on the banks of all the existing deltas, especially those at the estuary region. Heavy floods in the Sahyadri Mountains and hills or damage to the reservoirs would inundate large amount of soil and new land mass would accrete in the Vembanad ‘Kayal’ and also extended lagoons and land mass on the Arabian Sea coast in the years to come.

The gradual accretion of land mass on the sides of the river and lakes belongs to the riparian owners. Whereas, the sudden accretion of land mass due to heavy floods or other calamity is known as “No Man’s Land” and that belongs to the person who occupies it first.

Excerpts from

MEMOIRS

An autobiography

by

Joseph J. Thayamkeril

Lawyer, Kochi, Kerala, India.

josephjthayamkeril.blogspot.com

josephjthayamkeril@gmail.com