Onslaught of machinery on the fragile ecosystem of Western Ghats the reason for frequent landslides, says geologist

Senior geologist warns of landslides in Western Ghats due to machine onslaught, artificial floods, and fire accidents.

Senior geologist H.N. Udayashankar on Saturday, August 3, said the onslaught of machines on the fragile ecosystem of the Western Ghats has been the reason for landslides and other calamities on the Ghat and its foothill.

He was speaking at a discussion on artificial floods, fire accidents, and landslides at a programme organised by the Udupi District Working Journalists’ Association in association with the Udupi Patrika Bhavana Trust in Udupi.

Mr. Udayashankar, a retired professor in geology with Manipal Institute of Technology, noted that the Western Ghats receive considerable quantity of rainfall. With the destruction of forest cover on the Ghats, the rainwater easily seeps into the earth and comes out wherever space was available. The Ghats have a number of fractures that often move due to external pressure. The rainwater seepage adds pressure on the fractures resulting in landslides, like the one recently reported from Wayanad in Kerala, he said.

Referring to the proposed tunnel project in lieu of Agumbe Ghat on Malpe-Tirthahalli National Highway 169A, Mr. Udayashankar said the Western Ghats has been a biodiversity hotspot. If a tunnel was burrowed without studying the geological conditions, the groundwater would flow like a river at Someshwara, on the Ghat foothills, he said. After the groundwater depletes, the region becomes dry thereby destroying the entire ecosystem.

Landslides, like the one reported from Shirur near Ankola, occur when highways are constructed without studying the region’s geology. Though the top laterite soil appears to be hard, he said the layer below has lost soil that gives in to the slightest pressure. The government therefore should make legislation to prevent man-made landslides.

Municipal Commissioner Rayappa said the city witnessed artificial floods this year as many constructions have encroached upon the stormwater drains. Though the city received the maximum amount of rain this year in the past 15 years, effective steps taken by the City Municipal Council averted any major disaster. Udupi has been a growing city and one should not encroach upon stormwater drains while constructing buildings, he said.

District Fire Officer Vinayak U. Kallutkar said since the region received excess rainfall this year, there were many instances of floods. As many as 181 people were rescued by the fire and emergency services personnel from floods, he said.