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New Indian Express
7 hours ago
- Climate
- New Indian Express
Kerala's monsoon miseries: Unchecked growth and land abuse to blame
It has been raining heavily in Kerala since the second week of June. Rivers have been overflowing, low-lying areas have been inundated and normal life has been thrown out of gear. Going by the weather forecasts, the south-west monsoon, which arrived a little early on May 23, will gather momentum in the coming days. People are hugely worried about impending flooding and landslides. There was a time when Kerala eagerly awaited the arrival of the monsoon because it provided a big relief from the scorching summer and replenished the water table. But rain became a nightmare almost a decade ago. People's worries were compounded after the 2018 floods and the 2024 Wayanad landslides. How did this transformation happen? We asked this question to Kerala's prominent environmental activist SP Ravi and disaster management expert KG Thara. They said the scale of flood disasters in Kerala is no longer driven by rainfall alone, but by decades of unchecked development and widespread land use changes across the Western Ghats, midlands, and coastal zones. Ravi pointed out that widespread reclamation of paddy fields has significantly reduced the land's natural capacity to absorb rainwater. 'These reclaimed fields, which once acted as crucial water buffers, now channel excess rain directly into rivers, causing them to swell rapidly and increasing the risk of flooding,' he said. In 1971, Kerala had 8.75 lakh hectares of paddy fields. It has now shrunken to two lakh hectares. Ravi said Kerala's monsoon pattern has been shifting since the beginning of the millennium, but the changes went largely unnoticed. He cited successive droughts in 2003 and 2004 and extreme rainfall in 2007, 2013 and 2018 as pointers to a shift in the monsoon's behaviour. Since 2016, anomalies have become more frequent and severe, he said. 'That year saw the lowest rainfall in over a century, while Cyclone Ockhi in late 2017 shattered the long-standing belief that Kerala is safe from cyclonic impacts. Then came the catastrophic floods of 2018, affecting 12 out of 14 districts, followed by Cyclone Gaja, which originated in the Bay of Bengal and crossed the Western Ghats to impact Kerala,' he said. After the devastating floods of 2018, Kerala saw repeat floods in 2019, with northern districts like Wayanad, Kozhikode and Malappuram suffering even worse devastation. 'Unlike the steady build-up of rains in 2018, 2019 saw a sharp turnaround. By late July, rainfall was 35% deficient, but this gap was erased in just a week of torrential downpours between August 6 and 13,' he said. Importance of urban planning Thara, who headed the state's Disaster Management Centre, blamed Kerala's urban planning failures for the increase in natural disasters. 'Kerala witnessed an 11.13% rise in built-up area in 2023, marking the highest building density per square kilometre in the past eight years. Tourist hotspots like Munnar, which saw nearly 17 lakh tourist influx recently, are facing immense pressure on their fragile ecosystems,' she said. Despite initiating studies on carrying capacity in ecologically sensitive regions like Munnar, recent policy changes raise concerns over sustainable development. 'In 2023, the Kerala Land Assignment Act of the 1960s was amended to empower the government to regularise illegal constructions. As a result, 226 unauthorised buildings in Munnar were legalised, undermining conservation efforts and raising alarm among environmentalists,' Thara said. She explained that Kerala's varied topography makes it highly vulnerable to landslides. 'Around 35% of the state lies at elevations below 50 metres, while 25% is situated above 500 metres. The remaining 40%, falling between 50 to 500 metres, is particularly prone to moderate to high-intensity landslides, raising concerns amid changing rainfall patterns and land-use practices.' Experts said the damage along national highways in Kerala is a clear case of a man-made disaster. Despite repeated warnings from locals about the region's vulnerability, such as landslide-prone slopes and disrupted river flows, construction went ahead, ignoring concerns. 'The disconnect between ground realities and expert decisions underscores the importance of public participation in planning. It's exactly what Madhav Gadgil emphasised in his report -- micro-zonation and demarcation of eco-sensitive zones in consultation with local bodies. Unfortunately, his recommendations were misrepresented as anti-development, leading to opposition. In hindsight, had his guidelines been followed, the environmental damage we see today could have been far less severe,' she said. The setting up of major infrastructure in ecologically sensitive areas, such as the Cochin International Airport on the floodplains of the Periyar River, has compounded the risks. 'Highway construction, especially NH66, has altered natural drainage, leaving many homes inundated each year,' Ravi said. Diminishing forest cover Ravi said Kerala, which had nearly 60% forest cover two centuries ago, now has less than 15% natural forest. 'Despite the forest department controlling over a quarter of the state's land, much of it is degraded or replaced by monoculture plantations, which no longer function as natural rain absorbers. In the past, evergreen forests and grasslands slowed the flow of rainwater, allowing it to percolate through the soil gradually. Today, with much of the Western Ghats denuded, rainfall rapidly turns into surface runoff, greatly increasing flood volumes and impacts, especially in vulnerable regions,' he said. Ravi observed that Kerala has made significant strides in disaster response and preparedness. Institutions like the Kerala State Disaster Management Authority (KSDMA), District Disaster Management Authorities (DDMA), and local-level rapid response teams are now better equipped to handle emergencies. 'Communities, too, are playing an increasingly active role. Citizens in basins like Meenachil, Wayanad, and Chalakudy are engaged in real-time weather and river monitoring in collaboration with local governments and disaster authorities,' he said. Since the 2018 floods, dam management has improved, with major reservoirs like Idukki, Kakki, and Malampuzha implementing threshold curves and controlling early releases to reduce flood risks. However, this practice is not yet standardised across all dams, especially smaller ones. The state also lacks an integrated reservoir management strategy for multi-dam basins, which is crucial for coordinated water release during intense rainfall. Ravi said despite the improvement in all these matters, interstate dam management conflicts, particularly involving Tamil Nadu-controlled reservoirs in the Periyar and Chalakudy basins, remain a challenge, often resulting in unannounced water releases that jeopardise downstream communities. The construction of dams like Idukki led to reduced downstream monsoon flow, encouraging unchecked settlements along riverbanks. Over time, this urban encroachment has narrowed river channels and disrupted tributary flow, intensifying flood risks during extreme rainfall events. He warned that certain flood-prone areas experience inundation year after year. Long-term relocation of vulnerable populations is urgently needed to prevent recurring hardship. On the landslide front, sensitive zones still require targeted interventions and strategic relocation plans. Importance of Gadgil report The recommendations of the Madhav Gadgil Committee on Western Ghats conservation have been progressively diluted by successive governments. The Kasturirangan Committee, set up later, reduced the eco-sensitive zones from over 90% to around 35–40%, relying heavily on satellite imagery with minimal field verification. This led to serious mismatches. Areas like rubber plantations were wrongly classified as eco-sensitive, while ecologically critical natural forests were excluded. 'A further review by Kasturirangan diluted the report even more, resulting in only a small fraction of the Western Ghats now falling under protected zones, far from the ecological reality. Experts now call for micro-level mapping with active local participation, arguing that community insights are vital for accurate ecological classification,' Dr Thara said. What needs to be done? Experts stressed the urgent need for a Kerala-specific land use policy and micro-level disaster zonation, grounded in public participation and traditional wisdom. They argue that developmental models from foreign nations or other Indian states cannot be blindly replicated in Kerala, given the state's unique ecological vulnerabilities. 'Despite Kerala's exposure to multiple natural hazards, the state lacks a comprehensive building strategy tailored for vulnerable areas. While there are codal provisions for cyclones, earthquakes, and floods individually, there is no integrated, multi-hazard-resistant building code. This gap is not unique to Kerala, but a nationwide challenge in disaster management. Sustainable growth must be rooted in local realities,' Dr Thara said. She also emphasised the importance of Kerala-specific land-use planning and micro-level disaster zonation and added that, 'We can't blindly adopt international models. What works in Norway or the US won't necessarily work in our ecologically fragile terrain. We must integrate traditional wisdom and local participation into development plans.' 'Disasters will occur,' said Thara. 'But the real tragedy is when we fail to learn from them.'
India Today
a day ago
- Politics
- India Today
BJP slams Bengal government over Muslim shops making Jagannath temple prasad
West Bengal's Digha Jagannath Dham finds itself in controversy after the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) raised objections to the preparation and distribution of the prasad by Muslim-owned IT Cell head Amit Malviya on Tuesday took to social media, criticising the Trinamool Congress-led government. Malviya posted a document online listing several names he identified as Muslim sweet shop shops, he alleged, have been involved in preparing Gaja and Pera, sweets that are being distributed as prasad associated with Lord Jagannath. Sheet shared by BJP IT Cell head Amit Malviya highlighted the list of shop owners. advertisement 'Mamata Banerjee is trampling on Hindu sentiments with impunity in West Bengal! In the Suti 1 Block of Murshidabad district, sweet shops and ration dealers - majority of them Muslim - have reportedly been entrusted with the preparation and distribution of Gaja and Pera, which are being labelled as Prabhu Jagannath Dev's sacred prasad,' he wrote on added, 'This is not just administrative carelessness. This is a deliberate provocation. In Puri, even today, non-Hindus are not allowed to enter the Jagannath Temple - such is the sanctity attached to the Lord and His traditions. And yet, in Mamata Banerjee's Bengal, prasad meant for devotees of Lord Jagannath is being sourced from shops run by those who do not even follow the faith!'Calling the incident 'targeted sacrilege,' the BJP leader claimed that Hindus and Jagannath devotees are 'deeply hurt,' terming it a violation of tradition and religious similar concerns, Suvendu Adhikari, Leader of the Opposition in the West Bengal Assembly, criticised the distribution of Digha Jagannath Dham prasad through Muslim-run establishments. 'It is hurting our sentiments,' he response, senior Trinamool leader Firhad Hakim rejected the allegations, calling them 'mean thinking".Defending the state government's position, Hakim said, 'Bhagawan is for everyone and his prasad is also for everyone. This whole world is created by God and if a prasad is for him, then it is for everyone. One who is willing will accept it, and one like Suvendu Adhikari, who is an atheist, will not accept it.'West Bengal's Jagannath Temple in Digha was inaugurated by Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on April 30 this year. The temple is a replica of the main Jagannath Temple in Puri, new temple has since led to several political controversies between BJP and Trinamool.
San Francisco Chronicle
12-06-2025
- Business
- San Francisco Chronicle
A major wine company is exiting California. Here's what it means
Alcohol distribution does not sound like an exciting topic, but it's suddenly the hot gossip within California wine circles. Republic National Distributing Co., the nation's second-largest alcohol wholesaler, announced last week that it will no longer do business in California after Sept. 2. It's sent more than 2,500 beverage brands scrambling to find a new distributor in the state. This reshuffling has generated so much attention largely because it looks like a dire warning for an industry already known to be in peril. If a wholesale behemoth is simply opting out of the largest wine market in the U.S. — if it would rather leave than try to compete — that seems like confirmation that the alcohol industry's downturn has not reached its bottom. While the Grand Prairie, Texas-based Republic National has not suggested that politics played a role in the decision, the news also may be resonating so widely in part because of the narrative it presents: A Texas company wants nothing to do with California. CEO Bob Hendrickson cited 'rising operational costs, industry head winds, and supplier changes' as reasons for the move. The latter is what everyone in the wine industry seems to be discussing. Some of Republic National's most important brands have defected lately to other distributors, especially to the beer-focused Reyes Beverage Group. Since the beginning of the year, the company has lost the right to sell top-selling spirits including Tito's, High Noon, Cutwater Spirits and Jack Daniel's, among many others. The loss of those brands had to be a major financial blow to Republic National. Why they all left, and all at once, is unclear. VinePair's Dave Infante posited that it was the result of Reyes' quest to increase its spirits portfolio after a change in California law made it easier for beer wholesalers to sell liquor. 'It left everybody in the lurch,' said John Buehler, owner of Napa Valley's Buehler Vineyards, where wholesale purchases drive 80% of the business. 'It was really such short notice.' Although Republic National continues to sell his wines in a few other states, he'll need to find a new California distributor. Many wineries and distilleries will now try to jump onto the lists of the other two big dogs, Southern Glazer's Wine and Spirits or Breakthru Beverage Group. The Napa-based importer Wilson Daniels has already announced it's bringing its book of prestigious wines like Burgundy's Domaine de la Romanee-Conti and Piedmont's Gaja to Breakthru, while Treasury Americas president Ben Dollard said he's still 'evaluating alternative arrangements' for wineries including Beaulieu, Frank Family and Daou. Other producers will look to smaller distributors, like Chambers & Chambers or Skurnik Wines & Spirits, for their California sales. But in a contracting wine market, there may not be room for everybody on those lifeboats. 'It's going to be a thinning of the herd,' Buehler said. 'The ankle biters that were in that portfolio, the little guys — there's going to be a lot of collateral damage.' Republic National had only recently increased its presence in the Golden State when it completed the purchase of major California distributor Young's Market Co. in 2022. The industry analyst Impact Databank estimated the company's sales that year at $2.8 billion in California alone. Despite that considerable power, however, Buehler — who had been with Young's since 1992 and moved to Republic National as a result of that acquisition — said that Republic National consistently 'underperformed' for him in terms of sales. He now regrets waiting so long to find a new distributor. 'I think I should have seen the writing on the wall. You lose these suppliers, and you're not attracting any new suppliers,' he said. Still, 'I had no idea that they were going to close up shop.' At least Republic National appears to still be selling his wine ahead of the September shutdown date. 'I keep getting purchase orders,' Buehler said, 'so I guess it's business as usual.'
The Hindu
10-06-2025
- Automotive
- The Hindu
NHAI set to begin work on developing final section of Vikravandi-Thanjavur national highway
Construction of the long-delayed third and final section of the four-lane Vikravandi-Thanjavur National Highway, between Sethiyathope and Vikravandi, is set to commence next month. The project is being executed by the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) in three packages — from Thanjavur to Cholapuram; Cholapuram to Sethiyathope; and Sethiyathope to Vikravandi. The NHAI has just completed work on the second package of the highway, covering the stretch from Sethiyathope and Cholapuram. Although motorists are already using the section, it would formally open to traffic with the commencement of user fee collection at the Manambadi Toll Plaza from June 12. The 50-km long section, developed at an estimated cost of ₹2,357 crore (including land acquisition and utility shifting), includes three bypasses and four major bridges. A new bridge has been built across the Kollidam river at Anaikkarai. In January this year, the Cholapuram-Thanjavur section of the highway was opened for traffic. Service organisations in the delta region had been pressing for the early commencement of the Sethiyathope-Vikravandi package, as the NHAI had terminated the contract awarded for the section and decided to go for a fresh tender. 'The tender for developing the Vikravandi-Sethiyathope section into a four lane highway has been awarded recently. The land acquisition for the 66-km long section has been completed and the work will begin in July. The project is expected to be completed in two years,' sources in NHAI told The Hindu. Two new bypass pass roads would come up at Vadalur and Panruti, running for a total distance of 18 km, on the section which would entail an investment of about ₹2,000 crore approximately. The entire project, originally scheduled for completion by September 2020, had run into a long delay due to various factors, including Cyclone Gaja, the COVID-19 pandemic and issues in land acquisition. Union Minister of Road Transport and Highways Nitin Gadkari's had inspected the progress of the project in September 2024. Once completed, the four-lane highway is expected to give a big push to the development of the central region, especially Villupuram, Cuddalore, Ariyalur, Tiruvarur, and Thanjavur districts. Besides reducing the travel time between Thanjavur and Chennai, it would even help reduce the traffic on the Chennai-Tiruchi-Madurai National Highway as those bound to southern destinations such as Karaikudi, Ramanathapuram and Rameswaram could take the NH 36 (Vikravandi-Manamadurai), the sources said. The news on the award of the contract has brought cheer to the locals. 'We welcome the award of the fresh contract and hope the NHAI would closely monitor the project and complete it expeditiously,' said V. Sathiyanarayanan, secretary, All Traders Associations of Kumbakonam.
Time of India
04-06-2025
- Business
- Time of India
Damaged underground power cables in Trichy to be replaced
Trichy: Tangedco has sanctioned 25 lakh to replace the damaged underground power cables connecting the Ammapettai substation in rural Trichy to Inamkulathur town. The power cables beneath the railway level crossing on Trichy to Dindigul railway lines sustained damages and became defunct after the 2018 Gaja cyclone. After the disruption, Tangedco supplied power to Inamkulathur and adjoining localities including Puthukkulam and Keelapatti from the Viralimalai substation. The underground power cables will be installed for 70m long and as per the safety norms, security casing will be provided around the new cables. Cables will be laid under the trenchless method, without causing any disturbance to the railway crossing area. Tangedco took up the project after a request from Trichy MP Durai Vaiko in April. "Residents have been facing issues in power supply due to the temporary measure, which became permanent over a period. I will closely follow the whole process till new cables are laid," Durai Vaiko said. Officials said the new cables will be installed in the next few months. The existing cables were installed in 1998.
