My childhood was spent in valleys and scrub forests closer to the foot hills of Western ghats. I have vivid memories of Vythiri mountains travelling through the winding roads of the 10 hair pin bends . One of the favourite memories of these annual vacations was the sighting of a lion tailed macaque on the 7th hairpin bend and the occasional stop over at the numerous streams to refill our drinking water source. I have loved the mountains and rivers as a child and when I grew up after spending 8 years into my IT job I realised my first love had always been nature. The reconnecting with nature happened under a banyan tree in Auroville and then there was no looking back. If I have to die for a cause, it must be fighting for mother earth.
The recent reports of Prof Madhav Gadgil to protect Western Ghats drew more curiosity in me to understand the need for conserving Western Ghats. It is known as the "biodiversity hotspot", all 44 perennial rivers of Kerala originate in these mountains , the majestic mountains force moisture laden winds coming off the Arabian sea to rise and receive in consequence heavy precipitation of 2000mm or more in year - commonly known as "monsoon" .The finance minister admits the economy of India is largely dependent on monsoons and monsoon is dependent on Western Ghats - geologically and biologically. Western Ghats is also known as the "water tower" of peninsular India - nearly 4000
species of flowering plants or about 27% of the India's total species are known
from the Ghats, of 645 species of evergreen trees about 56% is
endemic to the Ghats and the list goes on. To an ordinary citizen like me, these biodiversity ranges represent food/ medicine and water security and natural sequester of the much debated carbon dioxide - the contributor of global warming covering the three basic essential needs of homo sapiens - Air, Water and Food/ medicine.
There is a restlessness that has crept in my mind after few recent trips to the Kerala side of the ghats . Constantly one can see biodiverse patches being razed for monoculture crops like rubber , ginger . Earlier coffee used to be grown under the shade of evergreen trees, but now there is systematic razing of forest species to give way for silver oak - the exotic timber species from Australia. Our quest to build palacial bunglows using granite has led to sprouting of quarries in these hydrologically and geologically fragile areas in the past decade. Our quest for travelling luxuriously has led to change in land use pattern from agro - based to resort based economy . One hydro electric project can sink many such landscapes and forest patches. In effect, locals find it difficult to buy farms as the land prices have sky rocketed - an age old practice of "farming" is projected as "unsustainable" because of vested interests pumping money ( black or white ? ) into the system.The outcome - educated are at the behest of politicians , business men and govt officials who have turned into real estate brokers or lobbyists for the mafia impacting the landscapes, hydrology and biodiversity of Western Ghats.
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| Shola Grasslands act as "Water Sinks" |
Importance of Shola grasslands
Wayanad is home to 3 major rivers from the Western Ghats (Panamaram river, Manantavady river, Thirunelli river) flowing from the shola grasslands which eventually joins Kabani in Karnataka. Kabani (tributary of Cauvery river ) is a sixth order river and many many rivulets from the evergreen and shola forest patches form rivers that support major taluks Kalpetta, Manantavady and Sultan Battery. Many west flowing rivers like the mighty Chaliyar, Mahe Puzha, Kuttiyadi and Korapuzha river has its origins in the evergreen forests of Western Ghats in Wayanad and Nilgiri. Shola grasslands are the water sinks of the western ghats. They retain most of the rain they get over the monsoons and
release it slowly through the year via a network of streams and rivers that
eventually serve the needs of a huge number of human settlement across south
India. The Sholas are a mosaic of mountain evergreen
forests and grasslands. They are found only in high altitude (> 1500 m ASL)
regions within the tropics, and are limited to the southern part of the Western
Ghats.
In effect Shlolas and grasslands ensure the rivers on which the livelihood of millions are dependent are remaining perennial water source during periods of no rain.
In effect Shlolas and grasslands ensure the rivers on which the livelihood of millions are dependent are remaining perennial water source during periods of no rain.
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| Sholas and grasslands form a complete eco system .Many of these are endemic to the Western Ghats and some come under the category, 'rare' and 'threatened'. Fire resistant temperate species dominate the fringes which act as natural fire belt |
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| Table shows the various forests and mountains from where the rivulets originate to form major rivers
The striking factor is the importance of these "not so significant mountains in the tourist map" as the source of drinking water and its importance in hydrology and geology of the land. Every evergreen forest with its' diverse forest species act like a sponge during the monsoon and slowly releasing water during the dry months. Nature's water control mechanism is visible in all these mountain peaks.
Human atrocities on Mountains and Rivers of Wayanad
Quarrying : There were atleast 15 illegal quarries run inside the forest land for the past 30 years which was stopped by the local officials. Many more run outside the forests causing high level of air pollution to children and adults. These are run flouting safety rules of less than 10 m from human inhabitation. Quarries are like scars of mother earth - they deplete the ground water sources, make the land prone to landslides . Once the landscape is gone there is no scope for planting anything on it. This is an irreversible process.
Phantom Rock, as the name suggests, is blocks of huge rocks in the shape of a human skull. During the season, a lot of visitors, including foreigners, reach here to see this wonder of nature. As many as 50 granite quarries near the rock are posing serious threats to this exquisite formation. Below is Phantom rock : Pic Courtesy EM Manoj , The Hindu.
The quarries have just spared the Phantom rock and are eating away the surrounding landscapes causing serious health issues to people living around it. Children constantly live in fear of being hit by stones from the blasts of the quarry. Tribes have been dependent on these mountains for centuries and in less than a decade we have depleted their land and water. 
Unsustainable Tourism : Landscapes of Wayanad are the attraction for tourists . They have the power to connect you spritually with nature's settings. Chembra , Banasura peaks are complete with its' foothills also intact. Uncontrolled development is spreading like cancer in these landscapes . Forest lands are eaten away in the name of "eco tourism" . Once a quiet historical point of Vythiri is now eaten away by roadside resorts, multi storeyed apartments. There are no standards set by the government on segregation of waste and its safe disposal / recycling / composting. Many restaurants continue to give away "use and throw" plates, spoons and glasses which add to the volumes of waste that Wayanad is generating in its eco sensitive zone. Waste is also dumped on the Shola forest patches/ river beds and many times the forest department has to fight with local panchayats. Read http://www.thehindu.com/todays-paper/tp-national/tp-kerala/row-over-dumping-of-garbage-in-forest-area/article4549582.ece
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| Crowded spots of tourism causing point pollution |
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| Non Recyclable packets are sold |
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| Eating into shola grass lands - Eye sore for landscape - Imagine converting the entire mountain with homestays and resorts. Uncontrolled development will be the end of Western Ghats in Wayanad |
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| Foothills of Chembra being eaten away by homestays and resorts . Conversion of farmlands are rampant with tourism |
We as customers can ask a few questions to ensure environmentally sustainable tourism :
- Are these resorts built on forest land or have impacted shola or evergreen patches ?
- How are they disposing their solid waste and waste water ?
- Are styrofoam plates and cups banned in Wayanad hotels and restaurants ?
- Is there a ban on plastic covers in local shops and restaurants ?
- What kind of chemical free detergents are used to reduce impacts on surface and ground water ?
- Are they creating habitat loss for large mammals like elephants and tigers ?
- How is district administration auditing the practices followed by these resorts ?
- How are local environmental samithis treated if there are complaints raised on environmental practices followed by resorts and other point pollution areas ?
How can we as consumers travel responsibly to environmentally fragile places :
- Can we say NO to Kurkure and Lays while visiting these pristine landscapes ?
- Can women start using Ecofemme sanitary pads and not contaminate the rivers and forests . Sanitary pads cannot be recycled and goes to landfills http://ecofemme.org/
- Can we ensure we do not throw any kind of plastic/ paper litter inside the reserves or any other place ?
- Can we ensure we travel at 40km per hour inside a wildlife sanctuary or a national park to avoid surprises with large mammals ?
- Can we ensure the plastics we carry are taken back home and not left in these eco destinations ?
- Can we abide by the rules of the forest and not feed or tease animals ?
- Can we ensure we carry our own water bottles and look for places for refill rather than depending on bisleri and acquafina ?
- Can we ensure we do not dump anything into the common dustbins causing more volume of waste for disposal and management ?
- Can we start camping in farms rather than asking for luxurious constructions in pristine landscapes ? OR stay in hotels closer to towns rather than on resorts built altering landscapes.
- Can we overall reduce our needs and wants while travelling and be willing to compromise on luxury ?
Can we say "NO" to places like Wayand where there is no limitation to convert landscapes into resorts, apartments and multi storeyed buildings ? Can we as customers show our purchasing power on "right governance " ?
"Unsustainable" Development:
The shola forest and grasslands in the picture below are the main source of water to Pookode lake, a famous tourist destination in Wayand. This pernnial fresh water lake, nestled among wooded hills, is the only of its kinds in Kerala.Pethia pookodensis is a species of fish known to occur only in Pookode lake. The lake has abundance of blue lotus and fresh water fishes. The forests surrounding the lake hold many wild animals and birds.
Various groups including Kerala veterinary and animal sciences university has acquired 3000 acres of forest/ tribal land for developing as concrete campus. The phase I of the construction is complete. The picture shows how one of the main buildings is built on the shola grassland. Few mountains were already mowed down for these constructions. There were two lakes inside the campus used by the tribals - one is converted into a playground.
Various groups including Kerala veterinary and animal sciences university has acquired 3000 acres of forest/ tribal land for developing as concrete campus. The phase I of the construction is complete. The picture shows how one of the main buildings is built on the shola grassland. Few mountains were already mowed down for these constructions. There were two lakes inside the campus used by the tribals - one is converted into a playground.
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| Buildings cutting the shola forest patches |
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| The proposed sheep farm is planned right above the rivulet to Pookode lake. Planned contamination of water |
http://www.thehindu.com/todays-paper/tp-national/tp-kerala/veterinary-varsity-works-raise-ecosystem-issues/article5206059.ece
The master plan of the university campus gives a glimpse of how large scale conversion of shola grasslands to concrete structures would be done in a planned manner.Converting shola grassland would have adverse impacts on water holding/ releasing capacity. The proposed sheep farm inside the campus will also dump heavy loads of animal waste into the shola forest and the rivulets connecting the feeder to Pookode lake. These human interference in massive scale would mean slow death of rivers and the lake itself.
Similar to the Pookode project is the plan to convert 100 hectares of wetlands into an international airport near Panamaram when there are 2 airports 3 hours away (Kozhikode and Kannur ). The impact would be taking hectares of mountains elsewhere to fill the wetlands, quarrying granite from nearby hills . The impact is just not restricted to the identified place in Panamaram but to other places where landscapes would be altered to build the airport.
Pookode and Panamaram are just examples of how large scale development project on eco fragile lands could adversely impact large sections of pristine landscapes, rivers , mountains and paddy fields that would provide food and water to locals dependent on them. These are natural systems that has evolved over millions of years and one such "development " project would completely annihilate the ecology linked to landscape forever . The impact would be slow death of rivers, drought, lack of ground water.
It is important that we DO NOT support multi crore projects tampering with fragile ecosystems. This would be equivalent to cutting the branch of the tree we are sitting on . There are many places in the plains where university or airport could have been planned. Why choose Wayanad which is part of the biodiversity hotspot ? Don't we have the responsibility to ensure that our next generation can meet their basic needs ? (Especially water )
Shifting our lifestyles
Western countries have started realising their folly of unsustainable development over the past few decades. Many large corporations have started adopting LEED certification and adopting green building practices. Many people have started adopting simpler lifestyles using cob, adobe, rammed earth as construction material for their individual needs within and outside India.
- If we already own homes can we stop thinking of buying new ones and also changing the granite ,marble slabs in our rooms for aesthetics ?
- Can we think of local mud as a main medium for construction instead of depending on granite /marble quarries . It takes millions of years to form these rocks . Quarrying affects the local population's health and the hydology and geology of the land.
- Can we look at planting trees which would supply wood for our construction later on ? Teak, bamboo, areca if grown on your own land can become good renewable material for future building. Dependence on forests endlesslessly for wood is unsustainable.
- Can we adopt green building practices while constructing without altering the landscapes, moving mountains and mud ?
- Can we start composting our waste at source and depend on natural light in our homes ? (Reduction of waste and energy )
- Can we ask the local administration to bring in policies to use JCB in hilly areas. The use of JCB would trigger landslides in these fragile lands that are heavily deforested of its' native species.
and also read the book "Little Home on a Small Planet"
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| Living roof homes |
There are heroes of our times who have been doing the herculean task of safeguarding the forests. Ethical forest officers, lawyers, media, eco samithis make up the best possible combination of ensuring vested interests do not prevail and eat up the landscapes and forests. They fight very tough battles to ensure our food and water security.
Seven generation sustainability
There is a famous great law of the Iroquois : "In every deliberation, we must consider the impact on the seventh generation ... even if it requires having skin as thick as the bark of a pine". Seven generation sustainability is an ecological concept that urges the current generation of humans to live sustainably and work for the benefit of the seventh generation into the future. This holds appropriate to think seven generations ahead ( about 140 years into the future) and decide whether the decisions they make today would benefit their children seven generations into the future.
I travel through the Vythiri hair pin bends quite often these days. My heart feels heavy seeing the encroachment of forests on the mountains. Illegal areca/ rubber plantations, hotels , road side vendors cashing from the views of hills are eating away the pristine evergreen forests. The highly endangered lion tailed macaques would have shifted its' habitat from the Vythiri hills , probably they will never return .... I know I will never be able to experience that oneness with nature in these hills when the mountains are stripped off its' stones and hills are denuded for timber.
Our forests, mountains and rivers are borrowed from our children. We have no right to allow any politician to control our lands in the name of tourism , unsustainable development and quarrying. The local tribes have conserved these places for centuries. In half a decade the greed for more money is depleting our rivers and forests.
It is immaterial if we intellectually support Prof Madhav Gadgil's recommendations for Western Ghats - the reality is Western Ghats need to be conserved for millions of people dependent on these mountains and its' water, medicinal plants and forests into our seventh generation. It is the duty of every citizen to conserve it . Let us not allow religious leaders , politicians, govt officers with vested interest on land to take decisions for our posterity. We have the right as consumer to demand for sustainable tourism . Green thinking must go beyond mere planting of trees to large scale conservation of eco fragile landscapes within and outside forest boundaries .
Our forests, mountains and rivers are borrowed from our children. We have no right to allow any politician to control our lands in the name of tourism , unsustainable development and quarrying. The local tribes have conserved these places for centuries. In half a decade the greed for more money is depleting our rivers and forests.
It is immaterial if we intellectually support Prof Madhav Gadgil's recommendations for Western Ghats - the reality is Western Ghats need to be conserved for millions of people dependent on these mountains and its' water, medicinal plants and forests into our seventh generation. It is the duty of every citizen to conserve it . Let us not allow religious leaders , politicians, govt officers with vested interest on land to take decisions for our posterity. We have the right as consumer to demand for sustainable tourism . Green thinking must go beyond mere planting of trees to large scale conservation of eco fragile landscapes within and outside forest boundaries .
Voice YOUR Opinions
Write to Wayanad collector and ask for sustainable tourism in the hills.
Write to Wayanad collector and ask for sustainable tourism in the hills.
- 0493-6202230
0493-6203450(F)
0493-6202300(R)Mobile; 9447204666E- mail: dcwayanad@gmail.com
References :
CESS Reports
