IDUKKI: While some politicians are adding to the cacophony of post-flood blame game with their insane comments on the role of trees and forests in preventing landslides, it is worth noting that no were reported from the pristine 280-sq-km Munnar wildlife division.
This is especially noteworthy given that the heavy rain had triggered series of landslides in the ecologically fragile regions of Idukki, especially Munnar, which was cut off from mainland for many days.
The Munnar wildlife division, home to over 5,000 tribal people, endangered Nilgiri tahr and habitat of neelakurinji which blooms once in 12 years, does not have any concrete structures and the tribal people there live in close proximity to the nature.
According to the estimate of the Idukki district administration, Idukki witnessed around 325-350 landslides during this monsoon, and Munnar was one of the worst affected regions. All the landslides occurred in human settlements and nearby areas. R Lekshmi, Wildlife Warden, Eravikulam National Park, told ‘Express’ that though the district has seen one of its highest ever recorded landslides in a short span, the wildlife division has not seen a single landslide in this monsoon.
The wildlife division is home to around 5,000 tribal people, mostly belonging to Muthuvan and Hill Pulayan cast, spread over 15 settlements inside the Chinnar Wildlife Sanctuary, Eravikulam National Park, and Shola National Park. But, not a single person was displaced or none sought shelter in 211 relief camps opened by the district administration in the aftermath of the flood, she said.
The inhabitants don’t use concrete structures to live inside the forest and all their huts are eco-friendly, and are made using mud and other materials sourced from the forest. And no damage to house, both partial and full, was reported even after the forest witnessed ‘heavy’ to ‘very heavy rainfall’ for days, she added.
The Eravikulam National Park, home to over 800 endangered Nilgiri Thar, has not seen any causality to its wildlife, either. The only thing the department noticed is that Nilgiri tahr has started grazing on the neelakurinji, which bloomed after the gap of 12 years, she said.
Safe location
No landslides were reported from the pristine
280-sq-km Munnar wildlife division
The Munnar wildlife division, home to over 5,000 tribal people, endangered Nilgiri tahr and habitat of neelakurinji which blooms once in 12 years
According to the estimate of the Idukki district administration, Idukki witnessed around 325-350 landslides during this monsoon