THE HILLS ARE BECOMING MORE AND MORE FRAGILE

ON JULY 31, a few hours after the Wayanad landslides, the Union government reissued a draft notification classifying parts of the Western Ghats in six states, including Kerala, as ecologically sensitive areas (ESAs).

- NIRMAL JOVIAL

This was the sixth draft notification the Centre had released after the Western Ghats Ecology Expert Panel led by ecologist Madhav Gadgil submitted its report on August 31, 2011. The report was strongly opposed by states like Kerala, which said the recommendations were not in tune with the ground realities.

Gadgil, 82, says the reissued draft notification was “part of the play being acted [to signal that] something will now be done”. In an exclusive interview with THE WEEK, he criticised politicians for not being committed to the cause of protecting nature and argued for involving local bodies in the decision-making process. Excerpts:

Q/ In recent years, the Western Ghats have seen so many landslides like the one that destroyed the Meppadi region of Wayanad. What are the kind of impacts that we may see in another 10 years?