This is Shankar Chatterjee, a senior citizen and retired professor from the Organization of the Government of India. When I was in service travelled across India and many countries as a resource person. The pristine beauty of Kerala and the North-east region greatly attracted me. The people of Kerala offered me different types of fish prepared by them and idly, dosa, etc., which were mouthwatering. I was fascinated to observe Wayanad's beauty. Wayanad, the green paradise, is nestled among the mountains of the Western Ghats. Situated around 76 kilometres away from the sea shores of Kozhikode, this hill station is full of plantations, forests and wildlife. Spreading over to an area of 2132 square kilometres, with a density of population at 369 people/ square kilometre with a population of 780,619 (2001 census), Wayanad consisted of three taluks - Mananthavady, Sulthan Bathery and Vythiri. The district headquarters is in Kalpetta municipality, with a population of 29,602 per the 2001 census (source: wayanad.com).
Anyway, I am very upset, dejected and mentally disturbed after watching the recent landslide incident. This landslide has caused huge damage to the natural and human resources, evident from the different print media, social media, etc. So, I will not discuss the severity of the damage and losses. I personally feel the local government was not serious about the over-exploitation of nature. There are examples in different States in this regard across the country. Further, different calamities occur when nature is misused or over-exploited anywhere in the world. Now, the Chief Minister (CM) of Kerala is blaming the Central Government, and the counter result is coming back. The CM is the head of the State, and the CM of Kerala is a mature politician, so he can say many things to stay in power. I feel the rain is unstoppable, and many benefitted, including farmers, animals, birds, and others, so across the world, people desire the rainy season. So, blaming the Union Government for this landslide is not the solution. In this regard, I am presenting a few cases from the article, “Wayanad disaster man-made, says Madhav Gadgil, blames Kerala government for ignoring ecological recommendations” updated on July 31, 2024 published on July 30, 2024 by C. P. Sajit. “Mr. Gadgil highlighted that the panel’s report had classified the region into three levels of ecological sensitivity, with the areas now struck by the disaster being marked as highly sensitive. “No development should have taken place in these highly sensitive areas,” he said, noting that these zones had been utilised for tea plantations during the British period and had since seen extensive development, including the construction of resorts and artificial lakes”.
Another article reveals the following facts, “Are Wayanad landslides in Kerala a manmade disaster?” (source:gulfnews.com/special-reports/are-wayanad-landslides) published on August 01, 2024, by Shyam A. Krishna, Senior Associate Editor.
“The Gadgil warning
■ In 2011, the Western Ghats Ecology Expert Panel, led by ecologist Madhav Gadgil, demarcated the Western Ghats as an ecologically sensitive area (ESA).■ The panel recommended regulating construction, mining, and quarrying activities in one of the world’s eight’ hottest hotspots’ for biological diversity.■ The panel included Vythiri, Mananthavady and Sulthanbathery taluks in Wayanad in ecologically sensitive zone-I (ESZ-I), meaning no land change was permitted.■ It recommended banning mining, quarrying, new thermal power plants, hydropower projects, and large-scale wind energy projects in ecologically sensitive zone 1.■ Even after 14 years of resistance from state governments, industries, and local communities, the recommendations are yet to be implemented”.
According to another geoscientist, C.P. Rajendran, unchecked human interventions, such as deforestation, unplanned construction activities, etc., were the root causes.
Anyway, India is a democratic country with a pluralistic society, which I did not observe in any other country in the world, including China (I visited many countries). So, at this juncture, saving the lives and properties of the people is sine qua non, not ‘Kursi Bachao of the CM’.
Prof Shankar Chatterjee
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