Impacts
The average temperature of these hill stations has gone up drastically. These hills were rich enough to stock adequate water for the summer, but not anymore and residents have to look for alternative source of water or bring water from the low lying planes. There is shortage of water during summer season, due to which many of the farmers have dropped paddy plantations, which requires a lot of water and engaged into cultivation of cash crops.
Aftermath
Droughts
Wayanad receives about 2500mm of rainfall every year but once these rocky hills are brought down, the amount of rainfall will decrease drastically. There are heavy chances that, Wayanad will be transformed into a dry plateau. This is because, these rocks act as a barrier to the moisture laden winds blowing from the Arabian sea (West) causing heavy rains ( Monsoons) which will not happen once they are blasted down. Further, the flora and the porous top soil retain this rain waters thus preventing flash floods and landslides.
Once these hills are demolished, these moist winds will move further towards east and may not cause that goods rain in this area. The distribution of rains may also change and thus the many important rivers may dry up and disappear. This can lead to a cycle of catastrophic events rolling between famines and flash floods similar to the events which happened in 1923.
Cases of Man Animal Conflicts increase when the wild animals march out into the forest bounding villages in search of water when forests become deprived of water.
Earthquakes
This heavy mining and dislocation of huge hills may even disturb the delicate structure and balance of tectonic plates resulting in heavy landslides and earthquake tremors. This can lead to groundwater dislocation or weaken the basement of constructions. Though the chance of earthquakes are low, it cannot be neglected.
The people of Idukki (The other hill district in central Kerala) were given a frightful warning by mother earth by shaking its skin several times at a magnitude of 6, in the year 2000. There were a series of earthquakes in Idukki district after the construction of Idukki dam,and earthquakes still persist. This had put up an end to the belief that, old mountains of Western Ghats are not prone to earthquakes.
Vanishing Eco Systems
These hills are home to several endangered species of Flora and Fauna. Demolition of these hills is like killing these animals including several varieties of Trees and ferns. Many birds will lose their nesting grounds when these patches of evergreen forests gets replaced by the Deciduous trees.
Actions against
One of the most appreciable activities is being done at Gurukula Botanical Sanctuary, near Peria a few kilometers offset of Thalasherry Mananthavady road managed by a small group of resident gardeners. Gurukula Botanical Sanctuary Founded in 1981 is a forest garden, dedicated to conservation and education. It supports a unique and endangered flora, and has been identified by the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN) as one of the 25 centers of biodiversity in the world.
“The destructive Force is so intense that, we cant stop, we can only fight against it and we have to do it to the highest extend “ Said Suprabha who is an environmentalist at Gurukula Botanical Sanctuary.
It s the right time, the Environmentalists in India should join together and fight against this injustice to make earth a better plant to live.
More Info
1923 Floods in Western Ghats http://peermade.info/peermade/recovery
