The devastating landslides in Wayanad are a stark reminder of the consequences of ignoring ecological warnings. The Western Ghats ecology expert panel had predicted that unchecked environmental degradation would lead to landslides. However, their advice was disregarded, and the Gadgil report was dismissed due to the pressure from political figures. A new commission the Kasturirangan commission, was set up to dilute the earlier suggestions. Unfortunately, even the watered – down report was not implemented. Instead, widespread development of highways and multi- storey structures took place, leading to the destruction of trees that stabilise the soil. Many structures and natural formations have disappeared. But the tragedy at Wayanad is bigger than the sum total of the dead and missing people and the devastation. Kerala, which enjoys the status, of being” God’s own country ” has been devastated by unprecedented floods and also triggering landslides leading to death of many people. Kodagu is not far behind. This is a warning bell from our mother nature. There are no doubt lot of similarities between Wayanad and Kodagu as largescale denudation of forests has taken place in both places. Both Wayanad and Kodagu have experienced landslides in the past. Large scale conversion of wet lands into housing layouts taking place in Kodagu with official patronage. Both the places witness widespread deforestation, rampant construction and indiscriminate quarrying in the past which has triggered landslides and also obstructed water channels which is worsening the deluge. Both develop tourist destination with buildings and infrastructure development being carried out under the guise of eco-tourism disturbing the fragile environment. These calamities turn out to be a result of unhindered human interference with nature and also the result of people messing up with nature. Due to human greed this is a tragedy that was waiting to happen. Although the focus right now is on the rescue and relief operations questions that need to be raised in the coming few days is, did the rampant, unplanned commercialisation of tourism result in destruction of Wayanad making it landslide prone? Development is destruction everywhere. Trees are chopped, pillars have been put up, so that there is a strong structure. Did the local administration had any sort of a study on what is the carrying capacity of Wayanad? When the hills are not strong, development is all the more dangerous. When you drill hole in the small hill to take people to that spot, they will have to cut the hill and make roads. Hills taking a kind of a load that they can’t sustain becomes weak resulting in landslide. 2018 landslides in Kodagu taught us a very good lesson. Did we learn? We still stand up to protect our trees against railway projects while we could simply let government cut trees. Government cuts trees in the forest, allows timber smuggling because some of them benefit. They change laws to make it easier to cut more varieties of trees. They give forest land to vote bank migrants. They give permission to build houses in places where they should not be built. They allowed 54,000 trees here to put a high-tension power line to Kerala of no benefit to us. They want two railway tracks and six lane highways to promote tourism and business in a river catchment area which needs cutting lakhs of trees. Forests destroyed, hills carved out to make wider roads. Wetland converted into housing colonies. Our sacred temples remodelled to see more appealing to tourists, who have no regard for the sanctity of the place. Natural calamity is a way of life. However not all of them occur due to the fury of nature. For years we have been blind to the absence of rules and laws pertaining to land. The existing land laws are very ambiguous and do not support environmental protection. It’s a warning bell from our mother nature saying that “Get alert or else I will destroy you completely”. A very good lesson is left behind for all of us to limit our greed. Whatever we give, nature will pay back. Nature is a teacher with lots of patience and says “if you have not understood the lesson, I can repeat it again “. I hope we realise that we should respect and value our land and not let our greed and mindless need for development. Our homeland has had an impact on all of us, but who is to blame for this atrocities development. Our elders, the government, the inhabitants or a new case that is tourism? Our soil has given up on us as there is no trees to hold them, our rivers spurt out their rage in reflection to our wrong doings. Land masses slide off with homes and people. What have the innocent done to deserve this? Wayanad tragedy is yet another lesson for all of us who have mistaken our mother nature for a resource and have ill-treated her to the end. Are we concerned about the earth’s environment? Do we strongly believe in green living? The greed by the timber lobby to loot and the developers of commercial activities in and around Western Ghats needs to be stopped once for all. Let the devastation which occurred in the year 2018 not repeat in Kodagu as we have already experienced the worst situation like floods, landslides, power shut down leading to a humongous financial loss. Still, we haven’t learnt. Despite all warnings, people are building new luxury resorts all over the place hill slopes etc, with active support from local administration and local politicians, who will bell the cat and stop this plunder? A disaster is waiting to happen unless we learn from our mistakes and take corrective actions. For the last couple of years Kerala and Kodagu has repeatedly witnessed landslides which have taken the lives of many innocent people. Why hasn’t the authority addressed the issue? No illegal encroachment was removed. No action was taken to remove the illegal constructions. Why was the MP’s and representatives of Wayanad didn’t raise the issue even though they know about illegal activities. Forest minister admits that he was unable to remove illegal encroachment due to political pressure. Why was the resorts and cottages allowed in hill slopes, wherein pillars erected for giant swings as a part of construction even after repeated landslides? Nature continues to warn man through landslides. Everything fades from our mind until another landslide, another disaster happens. Until the lessons taught by mother earth is learnt such tragedies keep repeating.Â
Kodandera Mamatha Subbaiah
