Series of landslides scar Idukki, but leaders still oppose Gadgil

IDUKKI: Two natural calamities and 60 deaths in the same month over the past two years has taken the sting out of the mass protest in high ranges. Last week Idukki witnessed over 50 landslides. Now no one here wants to even talk about the Madhav Gadgil-led Western Ghats Expert Ecology Panel (WGEEP) report that was released in August 2011 or the one that was released subsequently: K Kasturirangan-led high-level working group (HLWG) report (a diluted version of the former).

The situation was radically different in 2013 thousands took to the streets with the high range samrakshana samiti ( HRSS ). Slogans on Idukki’s streets went like: Houses will be painted green, leopards will be released into human habitat and snakelets of King Cobra will be placed in villages. Farming will be stopped and no new houses will be built. This was right after Gadgil report was submitted to the government.

Then, the HLWG report identified approximately 37% of the Western Ghats as ecologically-sensitive areas (ESA); of the 123 villages identified as ESAs, 48 were in Idukki. ESA also included protected areas and world heritage sites along Western Ghats. Residents feared that the reports will lead to forcible eviction.

The protest was led by HRSS general convener Fr Sebastian Kochupurackal and its legal adviser advocate Joice George. Former bishop of Syro Malabar Church’s Idukki diocese Mar Mathew Anikkuzhikattil openly criticized both reports. In 2014 general election, LDF-backed George and he won from Idukki. After five years, no one was evicted, but Idukki witnessed a series of landslides.

But, even now George is firm when he says: “We don't regret the protests against Gadgil report that was inhuman. It aimed to get world heritage tag for Kerala. Everyone knows the report was impractical. After the report came out, former Idukki MP PT Thomas protested and later he changed his stand. Most outsiders are trying to portray settlers as encroachers. We can't accept this. Landslides occurred due to heavy rain, which happened due to global warming. We will not support illegal quarrying or constructions.”

Resident MJ Joseph Mattapparampil said settlers protested against Gadgil report to save their land. “There is no relation between Gadgil report and landslides,” he said.

In August 2018 Idukki witnessed 280 landslides and 1,800 mudslides that claimed over 47 lives. After the calamity in 2019, it has dawned on them that the protests were un-necessary.

Thomas Mathai, another resident, said: “Priests said that farmers would be evicted from their land. We believed them and joined the protests. Now, landslides have proved why Gadgil report must be implemented.”

Fr Kochupurackal did not back down. “Our stand is correct. Now some groups are trying to target us after floods. Gadgil report suggestions won’t stop floods. If we check history, we can see many floods in the country. There’s no relation between Western Ghats protection and flood. How was Mumbai flooded? If government tries to implement the report, we will oppose,” he said.