THIRUVANANTHAPURAM : As the din over the Wayanad landslide has subsided, the focus has now shifted to the question of what caused it and the way forward. As locals try to bring back their lives washed away by the floods, the environmental activists feel the need for a comprehensive study of different aspects of the disaster and a blueprint of how such events could be dealt with.
“We would not rely on a government team, as our experience with such reviews has been bitter. One such report said that there are no quarries in Meppadi panchayat. However, several quarries were fully functional even around the time of the landslide. Also, rampant tourism activities were going on in the area. Hence, we welcome an independent study by a team of scientists,” says N Badusha, president of Wayanad Prakrithi Samrakshana Samiti.
Based on the demand, the Paschima Ghatta Samrakshana Samiti (Western Ghats Ecology Protection Committee) is embarking on a study spanning four months.
It has constituted a commission comprising leading experts such as economist Dr Mary George, geologist Dr C P Rajendran, chief scientist at KFRI Dr T V Sajeev, scientist Dr S Abhilash, traditional farmer Cheruvayal Raman, agri scientist Dr N Anil Kumar, botanist Dr Prakash C Jha, sustainability expert Dr Sreekumar, public health specialist Dr G R Santosh, botanist Dr Smitha P Kumar, C K Vishnudas from Hume Centre for Ecology and Sagar Dhara, who has served as risk analyst consultant at the United Nations Environment Programme. The project is being coordinated by Thrissur-based Transition Studies.
“The purpose is mitigating the effects of natural disasters. If necessary steps are taken on time, it is possible to reduce the loss of lives. Another aspect is about not learning the lesson or rather not taking the lesson seriously. “ says Sagar Dhara.
The study will also analyse what happened in Wayanad historically, considering the chain of landslides in the area since 2018. The study will begin in the landslide-affected areas, from the first week of September.
“The steps will include standard risk analysis and hazard analysis, followed by vulnerability analysis of the area. Vulnerability will be taken up in two ways — physical (heavy rainfall susceptible) and socio-economic vulnerability. Meteorologists and climatologists will lead in these aspects along with social scientists,” says K Sahadevan of Transition Studies.
The study would also look into the organisational preparedness of the government at the local- and state-level to tackle emergencies. It will also look into the physical preparedness of the local population.
“Like during the 2018 rainfall, bells were rung in churches, which helped people move to safe places,” Sagar says.
Finally, the report will look into people’s perceptions of the risk. The study team says there were environmentally aware people in Wayanad who, after the landslide, said the Madhav Gadgil report should have been taken seriously.