Experts differ with Kerala government's view on Wayanad landslide

Thiruvananthapuram: Even as Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan and his cabinet colleagues reject the criticisms that extensive quarrying is a triggering factor of the Wayanad landslide, many ecologists are countering their justifications.

Environmental scientist and a former director of Kerala Water Resources department V Subash Chandra Bose points out that there was a granite quarry around five kilometres from the landslide spot at Punchirimattam till 2013. He also says that at many parts of Punchirimattam mountains artificial pits were learnt to be taken by farmers and resorts for collecting water.

Renowned ecologist Madhav Gadgil also repeatedly states that extensive quarrying is one key factor that leads to landslides.

The Chief Minister had recently stated that the criticisms that quarrying was the cause for landslide was baseless as the nearest quarry was ten kilometres away from the spot. State industries minister P Rajeev also criticised the options that quarrying was the cause for the landslide.

According to Bose, satellite images of the regions show the presence of water bodies in large numbers in the areas from where the landslide occurred. He also says that he could learn from local sources that small pits and other methods to block the natural flow of water were illegally done in the mountains to get water for farming as well as for resorts in the mountains. All these could be attributing factors for the landslide and hence a comprehensive probe is required to find the reason.

Meanwhile, search for the missing persons continued at the landslide hit spots and along the river up to Chaliyar continued on Friday also. No bodies or body parts were recovered during the day.