Flattened hills, sapped environs

Thiruvananthapuram: Kerala's ecosystem is under severe threat with hills, hillocks and wetlands being destroyed for massive developmental purposes. The consequences are already being felt everywhere with rising temperatures in spite of summer rains and falling underground water levels.

Environmentalists say that the destruction of hillocks has led to deforestation and water scarcity. Hills and wetlands are two important water storing systems that maintain the hydrological cycle of the tropical and subtropical regions. Wetlands are being reclaimed with soil extracted by levelling hillocks which are a buffer to absorb rain water. 

John Peruvanthanam, chairman of the coordination committee for protection of Western Ghats, told DC that hillocks balance the environment. The maximum destruction of hillocks has happened in Malappuram and Ernakulam districts, he said. 

"In the last 25 yeras, between 1 lakh and 1.5 lakh hectares of hillocks have been destroyed. While travelling through the Western Ghats in 1987, I could see lots of hills and hillocks. But now they have vanished with acres of hillocks being levelled. There are one lakh earthmovers and 10 lakh tipper lorries in the state which are used for levelling purposes," Peruvanthanam said. 

When Mr Oommen Chandy was the chief minister during 2004-'06, the Smart City project was announced in Ernakulam, following which massive development took place there with the land value escalating. When Muslim League's P. K. Kunhalikutty was the industries minister, his hometown Malappuram also saw several developmental activities.

"In effect, Oommen Chandy and Kunhalikutty were responsible for the destruction of hillocks in Ernakulam and Malappuram districts. In Munnar, huge hills are being levelled for construction of hotels and resorts," he added.

A Congress leader of Changanassery taluk, who has been on a warpath to save the hillocks in the area, told DC that the Congress leadership in the district was hand in glove with a section of police force in levelling hillocks.

"Over the last several years, two villages, Thottakkadu and Vakathanam, have seen rampant levelling of hillocks. The local Congress leadership and a section of police officials have joined hands to level 15 acres at Vellukunnu near Vakathanam in the guise of construction of houses," he said. 

The leader, a quarry owner and a whistleblower, said the quarry lobby threatens the local households to part with the land rich in minerals.

Recently, he filed an RTI query before the local panchayat to find the number of permits issued as well as houses constructed in areas where hillocks have been levelled. But he was told that they don't have any statistics.

Kottayam DCC president Joshy Philip told DC that during his tenure (2006 - '07) as Vakathanam panchayat president, he had approached the High Court to stop the levelling of hillocks.

"It is the LDF which is ruling in Vakathanam panchayat now. So how can the Congress leadership initiate destruction of hillocks?" he asked.

The respective panchayat has to issue the permit to level the hillock to construct a house. The land owner has to approach the district mining and geology office with the building permit, development permit, development plan, possession certificate and other certificates issued by the revenue department.

K. N. Raman Namboodiri, geologist in Kottayam district, told DC that he has been getting complaints on illegal levelling of hillocks. A land owner will be granted permission to construct a house under Rule 14 of Kerala Minor Mineral Concession Rules.

"There have been frequent raids by the local police and revenue squads. Only when the land owner brings the environmental clearance from the local panchayat can the district geologist issue the permit to build houses in the area having hillocks," he said.

Mariamma Sanu George, development and climate change expert, said that with the disappearance of hillocks, there has been an increase of carbon footprints. She told DC that trees play a crucial role in absorbing the carbon footprints.
"The temperature level at the Centre for Development Studies in Thiruvananthapuram should be compared with that in outside areas. The main cause of the urban heat island effect is from the modification of land surfaces. The next generation will be affected by the destruction of hillocks," said Mariamma.