more-in A revisit of preventive measures and mitigation strategies to be adopted during natural calamities has been called for in the wake of the recurring rainfall-triggered landslips in various parts of the State. This year, about 40 persons have lost their lives in rain-related calamities. Nearly 20,000 houses have either been destroyed or damaged. The loss could be estimated to over ?8,500 crore. Incidentally, most of the districts woke up to disaster management only after the incidents occurred despite the State having a prepared a framework to tackle natural calamities and disasters. Experts feel that a stricter mechanism has to be put in place based on the Disaster Management Act. “The implementation of disaster management measures is weak. Proactive and scientific steps should be factored in to mitigate damage,” S. Chandrakaran, specialist in geotechnical engineering, and professor at National Institute of Technology – Calicut (NITC), told The Hindu on Monday. Each region has its own geological standard for agricultural practices, whether it is rubber plantation or banana cultivation. “Natural disasters usually are man-induced due to the shift in crop pattern system and construction activities. If the high land regions are disturbed, the damage will escalate in middle land terrains,” said Dr. Chandrakaran, who had carried out multiple studies in the State and along with the Centre for Earth Sciences Studies (CESS). Previous studies conducted by CESS showed that about 14.8% of the State is prone to flooding. Districtwise, 53.77% of Alappuzha area is flood prone, followed by Ernakulam (23.50%); Thrissur (22.65%); and Kottayam (20.95%). These are mostly confined to the Kuttanad region. Kole lands of Thrissur district, the coastal tracts of Ernakulam and Malappuram districts, western parts of Kottayam district, and broad flat bottom valleys and flood plains adjacent to Mananthavadi in Wayanad district fall in this category. Dr. Chandrakaran also pointed out that 90% of the calamity this year occurred in the ecologically fragile West Ghats region. However, any natural calamity can be minimised only through proper and scientific use of land. About 1,500 sq.km. area in the Western Ghats has been identified to be prone to landslips. The study reveals that 1,848 sq.km. or 4.71% of the State is in the high hazard category while 3,759 sq.km. or 9.77% in the low hazard category. Vythiri ( Wayanad), Nilambur (Malappuram), Mannarkad (Palakkad), Devikulam (Idukki) and Ranni (Pathanamthitta) are the most landslip prone taluks in the State, studies showed.

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