Kerala Landslides - Gadgil Panel Recommendations

What is the issue?

The repeat of landslides and consequent tragedies in Kerala this year too, after the rainfall, has caused much concern.
The need for implementing the Gadgil panel’s suggestions is felt more important now than ever before.

What is the realisation with the recent floods?

The 2018 floods and landslides in Kerala caused huge financial losses and manifold human tragedies. Click here to know more
It was believed by many that the 2018 tragedy in Kerala marked a once-in-a-century calamity.
The probability of two such back-to-back events was only 1 in 10,000.
So, it was hoped that normalcy would return soon and people could return to business as usual.
Hence, a repeat of intense floods, landslides, financial losses and manifold human tragedies in 2019 too was something people were unprepared for.
The 2019 events have thus made people realise that it is unwise to continue business as usual.
This has made them seriously consider the alternatives to deal with the calamities of nature.

What does the Gadgil panel report offer?

One set of possibilities is provided by the recommendations of the Western Ghats Ecology Expert Panel (WGEEP) chaired by Madhav Gadgil.
The policy prescriptions in the report were well within the framework of the constitutional mandates, and only suggested following the existing laws.
This relates to environmental protection and devolution of powers, right down to the gram sabha and ward sabha level.
In all, the WGEEP called for a model of conservation and development compatible with each other.
The report sought a replacement of the prevailing ‘Develop Recklessly, Conserve Thoughtlessly’ pattern with one of ‘Develop Sustainably, Conserve Thoughtfully.’
This fine-tuning of development practices to the local context would have required the full involvement of local communities.
It would have therefore been inappropriate to depend exclusively on government agencies for deciding on and managing Ecologically Sensitive Zones (ESZs).

What was the recommendation on ESZs then?

The WGEEP’s mandate asked the state to demarcate areas within the Western Ghats Region that need to be notified as ecologically sensitive.
It was also asked to recommend for notification of such areas as ecologically sensitive zones under the Environment (Protection) Act, 1986.
In line with the National Forest Policy, the panel decided to assign 60% of the total area of Western Ghats in Kerala as a zone of highest ecological sensitivity, ‘ESZ1’.
These included the region housing wildlife sanctuaries and national parks.
The panel proposed ‘elevation’ and ‘slope’ as two key indicators of sensitivity.
In Kerala, rainfall increases rapidly with elevation, and high rainfall and steep slopes render localities vulnerable to landslides.
Hence, areas prone to landslides would come under ESZ1.
The extent and quality of natural vegetation was the third indicator for classifying an area as ESZ1.
Landslides are under control in areas with intact natural vegetation because the roots bind the soil.
Any disturbance to such vegetation would render any locality that has steep slopes and experiences high rainfall susceptible to landslides.
Such disturbances may include -
1. quarrying or mining
2. replacement of natural vegetation by new plantations
3. leveling of the land using heavy machinery
4. construction of houses and roads

How successful is Kerala in devolution of powers?

The Plachimada Panchayat of Kerala cancelled Coca-Cola company’s licence.
This was because the company polluted and depleted groundwater reserves, drying up wells and adversely impacting agriculture and livelihoods.
While doing so, the panchayat invoked its constitutional rights, arguing that it had the duty to protect the well-being of its citizens.
It thus claimed that it had the right to cancel or refuse permission for anything that affected its citizens adversely.
The company’s counterargument was that the panchayat was subordinate to the State government, which had granted it the licence.
The Kerala High Court rejected this contention, affirming that grass-roots institutions have the authority to decide on the development course in their own locality.
Furthermore, the Kerala legislature unanimously passed a law asking Coca-Cola to pay Plachimada Panchayat due compensation for losses inflicted on them.

What is the way forward?

Democracy is not merely voting once in 5 years; it is the active involvement of citizens in governing the country at all levels, especially at the local level.
The powers and responsibilities conferred under provisions such as the 73rd and 74th Constitutional Amendments, and the Biological Diversity Act, 2002 should be fully utilised.
The ruling that local bodies have the authority to decide on the development course in their own localities be made operational across the country.
Implementation of the Gadgil panel recommendations would have definitely helped manage better the heavy rainfall, and reduce the extent and intensity of landslides.
It is only wise to apply the panel’s recommendations at least now.

Source: The Hindu