Kerala's Missteps in Ecological Protection Lead to Devastating Landslides

Union Environment Minister Bhupender Yadav criticized the Kerala government for allowing illegal human habitat expansion and mining in ecologically sensitive areas, leading to catastrophic landslides in Wayanad. Yadav called for stricter environmental regulations and highlighted ongoing efforts to designate eco-sensitive zones in the Western Ghats. Over 300 lives were lost in recent landslides.

Union Environment Minister Bhupender Yadav has accused the Kerala government of permitting illegal human habitat expansion and mining activities, which contributed to the devastating landslides in Wayanad. Yadav emphasized the negligence of critical environmental factors such as soil topography and vegetation while allowing these developments.

The minister urged the state to take serious measures to prevent such disasters, pointing to the vulnerability of the Western Ghats. Illegal mining and unregulated construction are deemed key contributors to recent incidents. The Environment Ministry has introduced multiple notifications since 2014 to declare large areas of the Western Ghats as eco-sensitive, yet final approvals remain pending due to state objections.

Scientists attribute the disaster to factors such as forest cover loss, mining, and climate change. In response, the Centre has issued draft notifications for declaring affected regions as eco-sensitive zones, calling for local stakeholder consultations and greater cooperation from state governments to finalize these protections.