Destruction of nature led to landslips: Madhav Gadgil

WAYANAD: Ecologist Prof Madhav Gadgil has dismissed an expert panel report suggesting soil piping and sloppy terrains of the region caused last month's landslides here.

After a weeklong study in Puthumala, the state's team submitted the report to the collector who is also the chairman of the District Disaster Management Authority on Tuesday.

Addressing a reception accorded by the Greens at Kalpetta on Thursday after visiting the landslide site, he said they were due to irrational activities and destruction of nature by human beings.

He said it was unfortunate that technically qualified people also say anything and everything on such issues. He cited the Goa experience where an expert environment impact assessment committee favoured mining, wreaking havoc in the Ghat region.

On the Puthumala disaster, Prof Gadgil said that over the years a whole lot of changes in the area like irresponsible construction of roads, houses and plantations might have resulted in degradation of the species of vegetation that properly bind the soil.

"Areas like this with high rainfall being a highly sensitive area, you have to be very careful,'' he said.

The former member of the Scientific Advisory Council to the Prime Minister of India who headed the Western Ghats Ecology Expert Panel said the Western Ghats had been his subject of learning since 1971.

"There was some misunderstanding in the WGEEP report, which resulted in confusion among local people as we had recommended the local bodies to identify the ecologically sensitive zones with the help of local people," he said.

"The panel had also suggested discussions on its findings in village councils and wards after translating the report into regional languages. Unfortunately, that did not happen."

Prof P. Chathukutty presided over the meeting attended by activists P.K. Uthaman, N. Badusha, Vinod Payyada and Hareesh Vasudevan.