Neutrino project adds to Ghats woes

The Ministry of Environment & Forests’ environmental clearance for India Neutrino Observatory project at Bodi west hills near Pottipuram in Tamil Nadu, as a special case, is alarming owing to the environmental damage it may induce to the rich biodiversity of the Western Ghats and other hazards to nearby hydel projects and dams.

Last year, the clearance, earlier granted to INO, was kept in abeyance by the National Green Tribunal. It insisted on clearance as per Wildlife Protection Act.

The project was subsequently stalled and advised to shift to some other location since the viability of the project was in question owing to environmental and seismic/geological factors.

Initially the project was planned in Darjeeling and in Singara at Nilgiri hills, near the Mudumalai wildlife sanctuary in Tamil Nadu, which was later dropped because of environmental concerns.  But the Western Ghats is ecologically more sensitive than these areas. They have to spare Western Ghats and probe other locations.

It is true that the study of neutrinos is very important in going beyond the standard model of particle physics. Indians were pioneers in neutrino physics and several important observations were made at the neutrino observation facility in Kolar Gold Fields in 1960s. Later, many observatories from around the world provided much more interesting details about the conspicuous nature of neutrino. The proposed INO will be a state-of-the-art facility that may provide new insights into the physics of dark matter and other elusive particles from extra-galactic sources.

Western Ghats is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and is one of the eight hottest hotspots of biological diversity in the world. The proposed neutrino project is just beneath Mathikettan Shola National Park. It was recognised as a national park in 2003 and all efforts were taken to protect its rare flora and fauna. A national park is a biodiversity hotspot and plays a vital role in safeguarding wildlife in the region. This is an area which is strictly reserved for the betterment of the wildlife and biodiversity, and where activities for development, forestry, poaching, hunting and grazing on cultivation are not permitted. Tigers, panthers, elephants, giant grizzled squirrel, flying squirrels, spotted deer and Nilgiri Tahr are seen here. It houses rare species of medicinal plants and it is the only place where some of the unique rhododendrons are seen.  Construction and later operations of the observatory will surely harm the precious flora and fauna of Mathikettan Shola.
As per the INO sources the underground laboratory will consist of  a large cavern of size 132m X 26m X 20m and several smaller caverns, will be accessed by a 2100 m long and 7.5 m wide tunnel. It requires continuous blasting for years to make such a cavern. 600,000 cubic meters of rock is to be removed by blasting. This type of work will surely harm the flora and fauna of Mathikettan and other nearby forests.

The proposed observatory is very close to most important dams and hydel projects of Kerala. Wild animals may enter the nearby residential areas due to the blasting of rocks and the rare plants will vanish. Idukki dam is less than 50km aerial distance from this place. Four other dams are even closer. Any minor damage to these may prove very costly to Keralites. 15 big and small dams will be affected by the blasting. Landslides and mudslides in this vulnerable area cannot be ruled out.  

Idukki area lies in Zone III of seismic zonation map of India. That means moderate level earthquakes may occur in this area. Several seismic incidents have already been reported. Moreover, the active Periyar fault poses much more seismic danger. Details revealed here are based on the personal visit to Mathikettan Shola and  Bodi west hills at Pottipuram on the other side of Western Ghats by this researcher and the studies conducted thereafter.

Even big rocks fail due to chemical process caused by severe blasting. Rainwater inside cracks of rock picks up acid from air and soil. The rock slowly corrodes. The decomposing minerals within the rock also act as agents for the decay. Rockfall may aggravate due to INO construction activities. There is a threat of rock weathering due to temperature changes and chemical changes.

There is also the possibility of roof collapse which may damage the structure of the hill and it may result in a gap in the ghat area. This gap will surely damage the whole ecosystem of Idukki and adjoining areas. This gap may affect the weather pattern of Idukki as it may allow the moisture-laden southwest monsoon winds into Tamil Nadu, and allow the hot winds coming from Tamil Nadu which will warm that area more. The average temperature of Idukki area may rise by 3 to 5 degree Celsius.

This reveals that the decision to give clearance to the INO in the ecologically sensitive Western Ghats is not based on any detailed study or assessment of ecological impact. It seems like 'some other' things have worked behind this move now. Implementation of this project in this area should not be permitted for any reason.

Advancement of science is essential, but not by bringing in irreversible damage to the perishing Western Ghats or the wild. The project should be shifted to other suitable place in Tamil Nadu or any other state where the ecological impact would be the least. Contrary to remarks made by some earlier, this is not a neutrino bomb project and there is nothing called a neutrino beam that would bring harm  Such baseless remarks dilute the seriousness of genuine facts like the damage to the environment and the probability of seismic events.

There are several neutrino observatories in operation all over the world. World class research centres have been trying to track the elusive neutrino. This indicates that INO is not an exclusive one. Building the observatory before China may not help the advancement of this science by any means.

Researchers associated with INO have remarked that this is a chance for India to win several Nobel prizes. As we all know Nobel Prize in sciences is given away to individuals and not to laboratories.

Influential politicians and businessmen have purchased hundreds of acres in and around the proposed project area. The fortune by selling 600,000 cubic meters of rock is another attraction. Apart from that, the construction of roads, buildings and other infrastructure may be attractive to builders. Spokespersons for the project are mathematics teachers from Chennai and some others from TIFR.
What is the credibility of these persons in giving expert opinions about the environmental and geological/seismic aspects of INO project? It shows that the whole project has some hidden agenda and that is evident behind the hurry to start construction.

Even though Kerala government is silent, people understand INO site implications. The State government will face ridicule if it delays to intervene and ensure the project is shifted out, possibly Tamilnadu. Several spots in Kanyakumari are suitable for the project.

The argument is that all science academies in the country have given thumps up to the project; ditto Nobel prize winners and Padma awardees. However, it has been verified that the Nobel Prize winners were from other countries. It is very easy to influence Padma awardees and science academies. This is not a valid excuse to damage the habitat of precious flora and fauna of Western Ghats. Without them, humans will perish. All other achievements will not help prevent extinction. Kerala is blessed with a hospitable climate and environment. This is inalienable. The silence on the part of all those concerned, including Kerala Sastra Sahitya Parishad, in this case is intriguing.

(The author is a science researcher)