Image Credits: Down To Earth
Abstract
In this article, I try to draw attention towards the worsening condition of the Western Ghats. In the recent past, we have witnessed multiple landslides in the eco-sensitive zone of Western Ghats and the recent one is in the Wayanad district of Kerala. I also try to grab attention towards the successive failure of various governments in implementation of major commission reports.
Introduction
The recent incident of landslides in Wayanad district in Kerala once again brings the ecological fragility of the Western Ghats into question. Multiple reports submitted by the various commissions on commination to the Western Ghats have been neglected by the successive governments in pursuing the development paths whose out-turn or consequences are very clear. Instead of passing the buck to the government, it is also equally important to have a look at society because for Indians, environmental problems always have a low priority. We as citizens always demand economic and infrastructural development, which is not a problem at all, but we should definitely make a transition from a mere economic development demand to a sustainable development demand in all spheres, whether economic or otherwise. People invest their lifetime income and assets from various sources of livelihood in building houses or fulfilling other necessities of life, but in just a snapshot, all their lifelong turmoil is devastated in front of their eyes and they are unable to do anything to prevent it.
Western Ghats Significance
Western ghats conservation is of utmost importance to us. It is one of the eight hottest hotspots of biological diversity. From this we can deduce that it is a habitat to many endangered species and it has a high level of endemism. These ghats are older than the Himalayas and run parallel to the western coast with only a few breaks in between. Roof to a large number of biodiversity, the Western Ghats also influence the monsoon pattern of India. They work as a barrier for southwest monsoon winds which collide with the hills in western ghats and result in rainfall. It helps in moderating the tropical climate of the region. Many communities live with harmony in the ghats but the greed of humans and big industrialists try to disturb the delicate balance of nature. If we talk about the factors responsible for the deterioration of western ghats, there are multiple of these working in the background, leading to such catastrophic incidents. The growth of western ghats as a tourism spot has increased the number of tourist footfall in the region which exceeds the carrying capacity of the ghats. The spurt in tourism has led to the construction of many resorts, hotels, and activity spots in the sensitive zone of the western ghats. The construction of hotels is accompanied by an increase in the construction of highways in the area. The western ghats are endued with a variety of natural resources and they are being mined from the region in an unsustainable manner which can cause a serious threat to the ecological balance of the region. There is a huge resentment for various hydropower projects constructed in the western ghats. Various ecologists from time-to-time have flagged their concern for such a construction in this sensitive region. With this, there is an increase in monocropping and fragmentation of the forest which is a threat to the diversity of flora and fauna in ghats. All these factors have led to multiple landslides in the region every year. Landslides are the mass movement of material such as rocks, earth or debris down a slope. In the western ghats the rainfall pattern has totally become unpredictable and erratic in nature. The latest landslides in the Wayanad district were a testament to it. GS Sreenivasa Reddy, former chairman of Karnataka natural disaster monitoring cell said “There were many changes in the rainfall pattern and the further disturbance further worsened the rainfall pattern affecting water security and crop cultivation pattern.”
The unending remainder
The government appointed various commissions to look into the question of the sustainability of western ghats. The most famous of them is the Gadgil Commission report. This report specified around 60% of the western ghats as ecologically sensitive or fragile zones which were further subdivided into ESZ1, ESZ2 and ESZ3 with varying levels of restriction put on the development path in the respective region. The Gadgil commission submitted its report in 2011 but till now no action has been taken in this regard by the central or state governments. It seems like the report fell on deaf ears. The commission in its report highlighted the various steps that need to be taken while pursuing development paths but these have been ignored by the successive state governments, because according to them they pose a barrier to the development of the states. The report recommends adopting organic farming in the region and phasing out of chemical pesticides in ESZ1 within 5 years, ESZ2 within 8 years and ESZ3 in 10 years. In ESZ1 no new license was to be given for quarrying and sand mining. The non compliance of the report’s recommendation is very much visible to us. The report highlighted the ESZ in various states in which the Western Ghats lie and if we observe the map of Kerala, it is visible that landslides happen in Vythiri taluk which is in Wayanad district and lie in ESZ1.
Image Credits: Kaalidaasan
The second panel set up under the chairmanship of Ex ISRO chairman Dr Kasturirangan report recommended only 37% area of the western ghats as an eco-sensitive zone. This report banned the mining, quarrying, and thermal power plants in the ecologically sensitive region. The states and people also had apprehension regarding this report’s recommendation and it has also not been implemented till now.
There is a need to start with a clean slate. We have to involve more local communities in the discourse and inculcate their practices in the conservation process. We also need to create awareness among the people about the impact of their practices on the ecological stability of western ghats. The government should frame strict guidelines for taking up any construction activities in the region and it should be properly implemented at the ground level also. A panel can also be set up by the central government which can look into the condition of western ghats and make changes accordingly from time to time. There is a need for an overhaul for proper management of the Western Ghats.
By: Khushi Vats
Khushi Vats is a 3rd year history undergraduate student at Hindu College. Listening and discussing popular beliefs and trying new recipes is an escape for her from the daily schedule.
References
https://www.bgs.ac.uk/discovering-geology/earth-hazards/landslides/
Gadgil commission report
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