From the point of view of food security it is in the best interests of the State not to allow reclamation of paddy land for any purpose, says Leena Kumari, professor and head of the Rice Research Station at Mankombu in Alappuzha.

She was speaking to The Hindu on the impact of a recent decision by the State government to legitimise reclamation of paddy lands carried out until 2005. She said that the decision was a drastic departure from The Kerala Conservation of Paddy Land and Wetland Act 2008, which appeared capable of stemming the tide against rice cultivation in the State.