Landslide devastation in Kerala's Western Ghats highlights urgent need for sustainable development

On the night of July 30, massive landslides devastated the villages of Chooralmala, Mundakkai, and Punchiri Mattam on the hillslopes of Wayanad in Kerala, resulting in the deaths of 400 people. That same night, a similar extreme weather event struck Vilangadu, a little-known, ecologically sensitive area in the neighboring Kozhikode district.

Despite the limited loss of life, the survivors of Vilangadu, who lost everything but their lives, feel disheartened. They have been excluded from the larger rehabilitation projects organized by central and state governments, philanthropists, corporations, and NGOs to aid the victims in Wayanad. These survivors consider themselves the most neglected victims of the ongoing climate crisis in southern India.

The sense of desperation is not confined to Vilangadu alone but is widespread across the Western Ghats region, which spans Kerala and neighboring Tamil Nadu. People are increasingly concerned about the "exploitative" development projects in the hills, which exacerbate climate change-induced disasters like recurring landslides.

In response to these concerns, the southern bench of the National Green Tribunal (NGT) registered a suo moto case and issued notices to the Kerala and Tamil Nadu governments. The tribunal expressed grave concern over unscientific land use changes in the ecologically sensitive Western Ghats, particularly in landslide-prone areas such as Wayanad, Idukki, Nilgiris, and Coimbatore. Similar concerns are widespread in other hill stations like Agumbe, Coorg, Chickmagalur, Kodaikanal, Yercaud, Attappady, and Iritty.

Many conservation activists and experts believe that state governments have not adequately implemented measures to prevent and address high-magnitude environmental tragedies…The NGT has called for a thorough investigation into the permits granted for constructing buildings on the hill slopes of Kerala and Tamil Nadu. The tribunal raised concerns about buildings exceeding their carrying capacity in Chooralmala and Mundakkai. It also questioned whether Tamil Nadu strictly adheres to Chapter 10A of the Tamil Nadu District Municipalities Act, 1920, which outlines regulations for building construction in hill stations.

"We need to ascertain whether Chapter 10A is strictly followed in Tamil Nadu and whether similar rules exist in Kerala. Please provide these details," the bench instructed the state counsels for Kerala and Tamil Nadu.

The Western Ghats, stretching 1,490 km from the Tapi Valley in the north to Kanyakumari in the south, covering approximately 129,037 sq km, is India's second-most significant region for biological diversity after the Eastern Himalayas. This majestic hill range influences rainfall patterns by forcing moisture-laden winds from the Arabian Sea to rise, resulting in heavy precipitation of 2,000 mm or more annually.

"These forests are the water tower of Peninsular India, and many life-giving rivers originate here. However, the Western Ghats, which evolved and sustained over centuries, are in peril today due to human pressure and plundering in the form of mining and quarrying," points out B.J. Krishnan, a member of the Gadgil committee from Nilgiris in Tamil Nadu.

A more practical approach emphasizes the need to balance development and conservation while ensuring the safety of people living on the slopes. States should regulate construction activities and implement building technologies that minimize the impact on the terrain. Peaks with steep slopes are particularly at risk during heavy rainfall, especially if deep-rooted trees that help bind the soil together are removed.

"The government should implement the concept of seasonal rehabilitation for people living in vulnerable areas to prevent the loss of human lives. There are hundreds of resorts in the area, and the authorities should make it mandatory for them to provide free accommodation to people evacuated from vulnerable areas when issuing the license. Wayanad district should have a master plan for rehabilitating people from the valleys, which could be implemented over the next 25 years. We should develop townships in safe zones," says Wayanad-based conservationist Subhash Chandra Bose.