Ameer Shahul
When the Gadgil Committee submitted its 522-page report in August, 2011, it was kept locked in a high security cupboard at the Ministry of Environment and Forests in Paryavaran Bhawan in New Delhi for eight months.
The babus in the Ministry feared that the report would set in motion actions similar to what witnessed after the release of the Mandal Commission Report in 1999 and held it as a secret document beyond the reach of common public. Requests for copies were turned down and an RTI was not honoured. Eventually a concerned citizen approached the Delhi High Court. It was only after the court ordered the ministry to release it, the report was made available to the public.
Known officially as the Western Ghats Ecology Expert Panel (WGEEP), the committee chaired by environmentalist Madhav Gadgil diligently assessed the plight of the environment in the Western Ghats and recommended measures for its conservation, sustainable development, and regulation of developmental activities in the stretch from
Kerala to Gujarat.
Western Ghats is one of the world’s biodiversity hotspots on par with Amazon Rainforests, Madagascar and the Himalayas. Therefore, the findings and recommendations were of significant ecological importance.
The Gadgil Committee report faced backlash as mafias and the mining lobby spread fear
among the public, claiming it was anti-farmer and anti-people. This led to protests, including burning the report and effigies of Madhav Gadgil. The mining lobby misled the people, convincing them that the report threatened their livelihood, causing
widespread concern.
In response, the government appointed the Kasturirangan Committee to review the Gadgil Report, rather water-down, and suggest implementation measures.
The Kasturirangan report recommended that only 37% (approximately 60,000 sq. km.)
of the Western Ghats be designated as Ecologically Sensitive Areas (ESAs). It came out with a concept of cultural landscapes, 58% of the Western Ghats with human settlements and farming and plantations, and natural landscapes.The report excluded inhabited regions and plantations from ESA designation. It identifies 123 villages within the ESA boundaries instead of the 142 talukas included the Gadgil Report.
Even the Kasturirangan report was not accepted by a section of people and the state government appointed another committee headed by Oommen V Oommen, a Zoology professor with not much background in Ecology and Biodiversity and not even remotely in the category of Gadgil and Kasturirangan, to water down the previous reports.
This report was the most convenient one for the state government as it was farmer friendly, plantation friendly and ‘development friendly’. The Central government approved the Oommen V. Oommen report, designating 10,000 square kilometres of land in the State as an Ecologically Sensitive Area (ESA). A communique based on this report was issued in 2014. However, the State later revised the report further, excluding 31 villages from the ESA while adding 746 square kilometres of farmland in 92 other villages.
This is what is being implemented now in the state and disasters like Wayanad are indirect consequence of this mindless tendencies to please one and all.
Wayanad has witnessed significant environmental changes over the past two decades. These changes, driven by forest cover reduction, an alarming increase in forest land diversion, a tourism boom, and extreme weather events, paint a concerning picture of the district’s future.
One of the most pressing issues is the decline in Wayanad’s forest cover. According to the Forest Survey of India’s State of Forest reports released between 2007 and 2021, the forest cover in the district has shrunk from 1,775 square kilometres to 1,580 square kilometres – almost 11 percent decline over 14 years. This decrease in forest cover is not merely a statistic; it signifies a loss of biodiversity, disruption of natural habitats, and a potential increase in human-wildlife conflicts.
Forests are vital for maintaining ecological balance, and their degradation has far-reaching impacts on the environment. The loss of nearly 200 square kilometres of forested land in Wayanad could have serious repercussions on the district’s climate.
The situation is further exacerbated by the increasing diversion of forest land for non-forest purposes. Between 2008-09 and 2022-23, Kerala saw a 178 percent increase in forest land diversion. Alarmingly, the rate of diversion peaked between 2021-22 and 2022-23, with a 35-fold increase in the amount of forest land diverted, the highest in 15 years. In 2022-23 alone, 137.19 hectares of forest land were repurposed for non-forest use, compared to just 3.9 hectares in the previous year.
This massive increase in land diversion is concerning, as it indicates a growing trend of prioritising development and industrial activities over environmental preservation. The conversion of forest land for non-forest purposes often leads to deforestation, habitat destruction, and an increase in greenhouse gas emissions, contributing to climate change.
Wayanad has also experienced a significant surge in tourism in the last two decades, which, while boosting the local economy, has placed additional strain on the district’s natural resources. Between 2005 and 2022, the number of tourists visiting Wayanad increased eightfold. According to Kerala Tourism Statistics-2022, 1,513,141 tourists visited the area in 2022, up from 193,068 in 2005.
This exponential increase in tourism has likely contributed to the demand for infrastructure development, leading to further encroachment on forested areas. The construction of hotels, resorts, roads, and other facilities to accommodate tourists often requires the clearance of land, adding to the already alarming rate of forest land diversion. Additionally, increased tourist activity can lead to pollution, littering, and disturbance of local wildlife, further degrading the environment.
The impact of these environmental changes is becoming increasingly evident in the form of extreme weather events. Wayanad has been no stranger to the effects of climate change, as illustrated by a recent extreme rainfall event. The India Meteorological Department had warned of rainfall on fateful day of June 29 between 115 and 204 mm, but the actual rainfall recorded was a staggering 572 mm in just 48 hours. The district received 200 mm of rain in the first 24 hours and 372 mm in the next 24 hours, leading to multiple landslides.
Such intense and concentrated rainfall is a clear indication of the changing climate patterns, likely exacerbated by deforestation and land-use changes. Forests play a crucial role in regulating the water cycle, and their loss can lead to reduced water absorption, increased surface runoff, and higher chances of flooding and landslides. The extreme weather events in Wayanad are a stark reminder of the delicate balance between human activity and environmental sustainability.
Wayanad Disaster underscores the urgent need for a balanced approach to development that prioritises environmental conservation. The decline in forest cover, increased forest land diversion, booming tourism, and extreme weather events are all interconnected challenges that require immediate attention.
(Ameer Shahul is an author and environmentalist based in Banglore )
