Save Silent Valley Movement & Save Western Ghats Movement

1. AECC(EVS) PRESENTATION
THE SILENT VALLEY MOVEMENT
SAVE WESTERN GHAT MOVEMENT
GROUP MEMBERS

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GEOGRAPHY OF SILENT VALLEY
THE SILENT VALLEY MOVEMENT
• The Silent Valley is situated in the Palakkad district
of Kerala.
• The region is locally known as "Sairandhrivanam".
• Silent valley entails an evergreen tropical forest.
•It is home to the largest population of lion-tailed macaque.
•Kunthipuzha is a major river that flows in the Silent Valley

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SILENT VALLEY HYDROELECTRIC PROJECT
•In 1931, British Engineer S. Dowson proposed the idea of this dam for the first time.
•In 1951, The Government of India conducted a survey to check the feasibility of the Silent Valley
hydroelectric project.
•Foreign scientists like Steven Green and Romulus Whitaker alerted about the ecological importance of
Silent Valley.
 They further showed concern about the nearly extinct species of the macaques.
• When its implementation was set in motion in 1976, several NGOs strongly opposed the project and
urged the government to abandon it. Conservationists argued that:
 The entire lower valley will be submerged by the dam, destroying its biodiversity.
 The 10 percent loss projected by the government will actually be far worse.
 The workforce brought in for the construction of the project will reside in the area for several years
and the destruction they cause – illegal wood felling, cattle grazing, poaching, encroaching – will
destroy the Valley.

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TIMELINE OF THE MOVEMENT
• In 1973, the Planning
Commission formally
approved the Silent Valley
Hydroelectric Project.
• The movement started in 1973 to
protect reserve forest from being
affected by a hydroelectric project.
Kerala State
Electricity Board had
to slacken the work
on the project due to
construction of
Idukki hydroelectric
project.
•In 1977, Kerala Sastra Sahitya
Parishad (KSSP) adopted a
resolution opposing the
implementation of the SVHP.
• In April 1976 - National
Council for Environmental
Planning studied the feasibility
of the hydroelectric project.
• The task force suggested that the project should
be abandoned and the valley be declared a
biosphere reserved area.
In the same year, an expert team
from Kerala Forest Research
Institute (KFRI) studied and
submitted a report strongly
urging to abandon the project.
This was followed by
large scale participation
and mobilization from
amongst the common
people, who dissented
the building of the dam.

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The KSSP emphasized that
the Silent valley was
among the last few
tropical evergreen forests
remaining in the Western
Ghats. The dam would’ve
submerged and
fragmented the
rainforests of the Silent
Valley.
The project was even
more unjustified since
40% of Kerala’s power
generation was being
exported to Karnataka and
Tamil Nadu. The project
would’ve produced merely
7% of power produced in
the state.
D’Monte and Steven Green, in
their book, pointed out that
the existence of this second-
most threatened primate,
mostly found at the
southernmost tip of Western
Ghats was furthered by this
project. Threat to their
continued existence became a
‘cause celebre’ and he was
indirectly able to focus
international attention to the
controversy.
The then agricultural
secretary, M.S
Swaminathan said “The
flora and fauna of this
area are quite unique and
23 mammalian species
including three
endangered species- the
tiger, lion-tailed macaque
and the Nilgiri Langur-
have been recorded”
WHAT CHALLENGES DID THE HYDROELECTRIC PROJECT POSE?
Reduction of
remaining forest
patches
Insufficient power
production
Threat to the
critically
endangered lion-
tailed macaque
Loss of flora &
fauna unique to the
valley
It is accounting to
the project being put
to a halt that the
Kunthi river flows all
through the year
today, even during
the worst summers.
It has no dam
obstructing its
pathway.
Obstruction of the
flow of
Kunthipuzha river

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.
• The International Union for the Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources (IUCN)
adopted a resolution specifically urging the Government of India to conserve the
Western Ghats more effectively, including the undisturbed forests of the Silent Valley.
.
• It advocated the protection of lion-tailed macaques , which has sparked another
controversy against Silent Valley Hydroelectric Project.
• “The IUCN resolution brought considerable pressure to bear on the Indian
Government to proceed cautiously in Silent Valley,” wrote D’Monte.
RESOLUTION BY IUCN

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ACTIONS TAKEN BY THE NATIONAL GOVERNMENT
•In 1980, Indira Gandhi
requested the
Government of Kerala
to abandon the
construction of the
Silent Valley
Hydroelectric Project
•Gandhi requested the
chief minister of Kerala
to consider possibilities
of alternative projects
for meeting the power
needs of the state.
•Finally, in 1983, the
Silent Valley
Hydroelectric Project
was shelved.
•Thus, the SVHP
became the only case
in which a
hydroelectric project
once sanctioned was
abandoned for purely
ecological reasons in
India.
•The Menon
Committee submitted
its report in the
December of 1982
after thoroughly
examining various
aspects of the SVHP.
•On September 7, 1985,
the area was notified as a
National Park Since then,
long-term conservation
efforts have been
undertaken to preserve the
Kerala Sashtra
Sahitya Parishad
observed March
15, 1980 as the
Silent Valley day.
This report too
emphasized the
ecological
significance of the
Silent Valley

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PEOPLE’S PARTICIPATION AND MOBILIZATION
•Mobilization and awareness spread through editorials in Malayalam
and English newspapers.
•Various activist groups used different strategies ranging from distributing
pamphlets to holding public meetings.
•In July 1982, the Prakrithi Samrakshana Samithi, an eco-social
organization submitted a united appeal from scientists, writers, and
social activists to save the Silent Valley.
•The poet activist Sugathakumari's poem "Marathinu Stuthi" - became a
symbol for the protest.
It also triggered the growth of environmental journalism in India. “It was an
iconic issue,” D’Monte told Mongabay-India. “Many environmental journalists
cut their teeth on it and cited it for years afterwards.”

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• The Kerala government has not taken
any decision on the revival of the Silent
Valley Hydro Project.
•In 2001, a new hydro project was
proposed which was an alternative for
the Silent Valley Project but it was also
abandoned.
•In 2007, the silent valley buffer zone
was formally approved by the Kerala
Cabinet, the cabinet also sanctioned staff
to protect the area.
CURRENT STATUS

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SAVE WESTERN
GHATS MOVEMENT

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LOCATION
WESTERN GHATS

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INTRODUCTION
•Western Ghats is a mountain range that covers an area of
160,000 km2
•Parallel to the western coast of the Indian peninsula, traversing
the states of Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Karnataka, Goa, Maharashtra,
and Gujarat.
•Starts near the Songadh town of Gujarat, south of the Tapti
river, ending at Swamithope near the southern tip of India in
Tamil Nadu.
•Biologically rich and bio geographically unique
•UNESCO World Heritage Site
•Houses 30% of all species of flora & fauna in India.
•Rare, endemic species which are protected through several
nationally significant wildlife sanctuaries, tiger reserves, and
national parks.
•Home to four tropical and subtropical moist broadleaf forest
ecoregions – the North Western Ghats moist deciduous forests,
North Western Ghats montane rain forests, South Western
INTRODUCTION

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IMPORTANCE OF WESTERN GHATS
•A total of thirty-nine areas in the Western Ghats designated as world heritage sites
•Influence Indian monsoon weather patterns by intercepting the rain-laden monsoon winds that
sweep in from the southwest for the summer season
•Complex network of 22 rivers that provides nearly 40 percent of India’s water-catchment systems.
•Perform important hydrological and watershed functions. Provides water to 245 million people
living in the peninsular Indian states from rivers originating in the Western Ghats.
•The major river systems originating in the Western Ghats are the Godavari, Kaveri, Krishna,
Thamirabarani and Tungabhadra rivers. Thus, the soil and water of this region sustain the livelihoods
of millions of people.
•It neutralizes no less than 4 million tonnes of carbon, equivalent to 14 million tonnes of carbon
dioxide annually. The diverse forests ecosystems in the region neutralize 10 per cent of total
greenhouse gas emissions neutralized by the country’s forests.
•Habitat to medicinal plants and important genetic resources such as the wild relatives of grains,
fruits and spices
• Home to diverse social, religious, and linguistic groups.

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ENVIRONMENTAL
CHALLENGES
TO WESTERN GHATS
• Unregulated mining is ravaging
large parts
• Continuous construction
activity
• Number of rivers have been
dammed, resulting in the loss of
riverine ecosystems and the
submergence of pristine forests

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•A rapidly growing network of
roads and rail lines is fragmenting
forests;
•There’s habitat loss due to
urbanisation; agriculture,
plantations and the introduction of
exotics is leading to a rise in
human-wildlife conflict; and tribal
communities continue to be
marginalised with the loss of
access to resources and
livelihoods.
•The pressure of increasing
population on land and vegetation
and undesirable agricultural
practices etc.

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The SAVE WESTERN GHATS
MOVEMENT has been founded on the
principle of a people’s movement for
environmental regeneration and people’s
rights and livelihoods in the Western
Ghats. The movement derives from local
people, who have been fully exposed to
the harmful effects of deforestation, and
their need to protect their environment.
The famous Save Western Ghats March
started more than 25 years ago in 1986.as
one of the pioneering civil society
movements to redefine, question and
build up a grassroots up swell for
conservation, protection of natural
BACKGROUND OF
THE MOVEMENT

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KEY OBJECTIVES
The key objectives of the March.
• To generate awareness among the
people about ecology and related
issues like denudation of forests,
afforestation, preservation of
wildlife, natural resources etc.
• To learn about the nature and
extent of ecological destruction of
the Western Ghats.
• To expose the concerned
authorities and government to the
field situations so that they could
view the problems from the ground
reality
• To bring together all voluntary
organizations working in the region,
to formulate some long –term
common ecological programmes to
save the western ghats from
ecological destruction

18. Kumar Kalanand Mani-Central Coordinator of Save the Western Ghats March
Pandurang Hegde
Noted Gandhian and Historian Shri Dharmpal
National Advisory Committee was led by Prof. Kailash Chandra Malhotra
Dr. Anil Agrawal, CSE
Thomas Mathew,WWF
Founder leaders of Chipko Movement Shri Chandi Prasad Bhatt.
PROMINENT LEADERS
PARTICIPATION AND MOBILIZATION
Peaceful Society, a Gandhian voluntary organization was responsible for
organising the dream environmental March in 1987 with the participation of
people from every sections and active involvement of more than 150
organisations including Central Organisation Committee (COC), National
Advisory Committee (NAC),Regional Coordination Committee (RAC) etc. Total
169 men and women from 11 states and 4 countries were part of the March

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• The Save the Western Ghats Movement began in 1986 along with foot march
organised in 1987-88 with the participation of people from every sections and
various organisations.
• Involved over 20 local and regional people’s movements for an awareness-
building protest against the construction that destroy one of the world’s richest
habitats.
• Prominent environmental activists brought out the important role played by
Western Ghats in India’s environment and highlighted its ongoing
degradations.
• Many other movements took place under this banner to influence government
policy
• The foot march along the Western Ghats was divided into 2 parts up to Goa
border- starting from two extreme ends on Nov. 1st, 1987.
• Northern March- from Navapur in Dhule District of Maharashtra flagged
off by founder leader of Chipko movement -Shri Chandi Prasad Bhatt
• Southern March- from Kanyakumari in Tamil nadu flagged off by noted
historian Shri Dharampal
• The March converged into Save the Western Ghats Conference where
experiences were shared along with discussion about the direction of saving
the Western Ghats.
• 3rd conference in February 2009 concluded with a proposal – to constitute a
THE MARCH

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WESTERN GHATS ECOLOGY EXPERT PANEL(WGEEP)
RECOMMENDATIONS
• Entire hill range- Ecologically Sensitive Area (ESA).
• Classified the Western Ghats area into Ecologically
Sensitive Zones (ESZ) 1, 2, and 3.
• ESZ-1 being of high priority- almost all
developmental activities were restricted.
• Bottom to top approach rather than a top to bottom
approach & decentralization and more powers to
local authorities.
• Constitution of a Western Ghats Ecology Authority
(WGEA), as a statutory authority under the Ministry
of Environment and Forests, with the powers under
Section 3 of the Environment (Protection) Act,
1986.
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• More environment-friendly and not in tune with the
ground realities.
• Recommendations impractical to implement.
• Complete eco-sensitive cover for the Western
Ghats hampering energy and development fronts.
• Criticism against the constitution of a new body
called WGEA. States insist that protection can be
given under existing laws.
• Doesn’t give a solution for revenue losses due to
the implementation of its recommendations.
• Against dams in the Western Ghats, which is a
crucial for power sector. Considering the growing
energy needs of India.
CRITICISMS
Madhav Gadgil Committee Report
The Western Ghats Ecology Expert Panel (WGEEP), also known as the Gadgil Commission formed in 2010
submitted the report to the Government of India on 31 August 2011.
This report by WGEEP to the Govt. Of India was taken negatively. The government
refused to accept the report and formed another committee.

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• Only 37% (i.e. 60,000 sq. km.) of the total area be brought
under ESA under Kasturirangan report.
• A complete ban on mining, quarrying and sand mining in
ESA.
• Distinguished between cultural (58% occupied in the
Western Ghats by it like human settlements, agricultural
fields and plantations) and natural landscape (90% of it
should come under ESA according to the committee).
• Current mining areas in the ESA should be phased out
within the next five years, or at the time of expiry of mining
lease, whichever is earlier.
• No thermal power be allowed and hydropower projects are
allowed only after detailed study.
• Red industries i.e. which are highly polluting be strictly
banned in these areas.
• Made several pro-farmer recommendations, including the
exclusion of inhabited regions and plantations from the
purview of ecologically sensitive areas (ESAs).
• The Kasturirangan report had said 123 villages fall under
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• remote sensing and aerial survey methods for
zonal demarcation of land without examining the
ground reality, causing many errors in the report.
• The power is vested with the bureaucrats and forest
officials and not with gram sabhas.
• farmers feared eviction if the Kasturirangan
Committee report is implemented. Under this report,
the mining and quarrying lobbies are expected to
flourish causing water shortageand pollution leading
farmers to quit the area.
• The use of “erroneous method” had caused
inclusion of many villages under Ecologically
Sensitive Areas (ESA)
• Kasturirangan report included ecologically non-
sensitive areas under ESA, and left out many
ecologically sensitive areas!
RECOMMENDATIONS CRITICISMS
Kasturirangan committee on the Western Ghats
The Kasturirangan committee was constituted to examine the WGEEP report. The committee is often called high-
level working group (HLWG), headed by Kasturirangan submitted in april 2013

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COMPARISON BETWEEN
GADGIL AND
KASTHURIRANGAN REPORT
COMPARISON BETWEEN GADGIL
AND KASTHURIRANGAN REPORT
GADGIL KASTHURIRANGAN
V/S

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• The Gadgil report- importance to the
environment, and Kasturirangan report-
biased towards development.
• Gadgil report marked out 60 percent of the
Western Ghats as the highest-priority
Ecologically Sensitive Zone (ESZ -1)
whereas Kasturirangan report marks only
37 percent area as ESA.
• Gadgil’s report proposed to declare this
entire landscape as ESA, creating three
ESZs within it. Gadgil committee prescribed
no mining within ESZ- 1, continuation of
existing mines in ESZ-2 and new mines in
ESZ-3
• The Kasturirangan panel marked 37
percent of the stretch as ESA. In effect, the
restriction level of Kasturirangan’s ESA
corresponds to that of Gadgil’s ESZ-1.
• The Gadgil panel had recommended a
national-level authority, with counterparts at
the state and district levels. The
Kasturirangan panel argued for
ESA
ESZ- 1
ESZ- 1
ESZ- 1
KASTHURIRANGAN
GADGIL

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• Ministry of Environment had enough reports (Gadgil and Kasturirangan; Ooman committee was
state-level), but still, they didn’t take any action.
• In 2013 going with the recommendations of Kasturirangan committee, the Ministry decided to
declare the ESA over 37% of the Western Ghats under the Environment Protection Act, 1986.
• however there was opposition from people due to the fear of indirect eviction for illegal mining
• The MoEF came out with the order, and according to directions under Section 5 of the
Environment (Protection) Act, 1986, bars mining in ecologically fragile areas (EFA not to be
confused with ESA), setting up of thermal plants and restricts buildings to less than 20,000 sq ft
in 123 villages mentioned in the K. Kasturirangan report of the state.
CURRENT STATUS
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25. As Kerala faces its worst floods in several decades, Madhav
Gadgil responded by saying that Kerala Floods are partly
man-made and the scale of the disaster would have been
smaller had the state government and local authorities
followed environmental laws, proving the rejection
of Gadgil report to be a costly error for people and
environment. Development in the State in the last several
years had materially compromised its ability to deal with a
disaster of this proportion.
Tremendous pressure from a growing human population
deforestation unsustainable extraction of
resources resulting in alteration in rainfall patterns and the
new monsoon trend has had a devastating effect on
the ecology as Kerala witnessed in 2018, 2019 and 2020 in
form of floods. Scientific studies clearly show that the
frequency of extreme events such as very intense rainfall is
to be seen as a warning signs The monsoon pattern is
changing for western parts and parts of Central India. The
total monsoon is decreasing gradually over period of time
while the frequency and magnitude of extreme rain events
are going up leading to more dry periods or droughts
in the central india with extreme rainfall events in south
KERELA FLOODS

26. PROTECTING THE GHATS
• Over the years, the country’s central government has enacted
various laws that are applicable to the Western Ghats such as the
Environment Protection Act 1986, the Forest Conservation Act
1980, the Biodiversity Conservation Act 2002. However, these laws
are not implemented efficiently
• India’s water laws are inadequate. Existing legislation primarily
focuses on pollution control, meaning the law has little to say about
preventing or even managing floods which result from
mismanagement of dams or too much riverside development.
• Some of the major floods in the past couple of years happened after
dams at or near full capacity in one district or state were opened,
letting water flow downstream into another area.
• To protect the Western Ghats, what we require is an attitude that
recognises the significance of these mountains and that will involve
specific laws.

27. • The Western Ghats States need to reconsider their stand in view of the recent calamity.
• A different governance regime, as suggested by the Gadgil panel, may be required to
administer the Western Ghats.
• Indeed, the challenge is to set up decentralized, participatory institutions to manage hilly
regions and river basins.
• The Centre should urge the States to accept the best in both the reports.
• It should not entertain any further reduction of ecologically sensitive areas
• there is a need to respect the hydrological and remediation capability of natural drains that aid
in infiltration and groundwater recharge. River origins, myristica swamps, sacred groves
should be declared as heritage sites and protected
THE WAY AHEAD

28. BIBLIOGRAPHY
1. https://www.conservationindia.org/case-studies/silent-valley-a-peoples-
movement-that-saved-a-forest
2. https://www.indiatoday.in/magazine/cover-story/story/20091228-1976-
silent-valley-movement-the-genesis-of-green-741606-2009-12-24
3. http://pune.gen.in/india/silent-valley-movement/3186/
4. https://www.divahspriklawnotes.com/single-post/what-is-save-silent-valley-
movement
5. https://peacefulsociety.org/the-western-ghats-save-the-western-ghats-
movement/#:~:text=The%20Save%20the%20Western%20Ghats,of%20more%2
0than%20150%20organisations.
6. https://www.thehindu.com/sci-tech/energy-and-environment/a-mountain-
and-a-movement/article19325463.ece
7. http://www.ipsnews.net/2008/02/environment-india-call-to-save-major-
biodiversity-hotspot/
8. https://www.clearias.com/gadgil-report-kasturirangan-report-western-ghats/
9. https://scroll.in/article/936999/rampant-deforestation-in-the-western-ghats-
is-causing-recurring-floods-in-southern-india