Western Ghats Landslides: Are Lessons Unlearned?

The delayed southwest monsoon has triggered a fresh wave of deadly landslides across the Western Ghats. Recent events include a debris slip in Wayanad, Kerala, that claimed three lives, and a landslide near Madikeri in Kodagu, Karnataka. These incidents, occurring shortly after the monsoon's revival, have prompted experts to question whether crucial lessons from previous devastating landslide episodes have been unlearned.

Scientists attribute these events to a confluence of factors, including intense rainfall, deforestation, and the disruption of natural drainage systems. T.V. Ramachandra from IISc highlighted that while high-intensity rainfall is a trigger, unplanned developmental projects in fragile areas, conducted without adequate conservation measures, are the primary drivers. An IIT Dharwad report further supports this, predicting a significant increase in landslide risk by 2050 due to intensifying rainfall and urban development, particularly affecting Uttara Kannada, Kodagu, and Chikkamagaluru districts.

Environmentalists and local activists point to unscientific construction methods, such as extensive hill cutting for highways, and the rampant felling of trees for development projects as major contributors. They lament the lack of accountability and the prioritization of profit over environmental preservation, stating that fragile ecosystems like the Western Ghats are particularly vulnerable to such degradation, unlike more resilient mountainous regions.