Sat Aug 02 11:32:46 UTC 2025: Here’s a summary of the text and a rewritten news article based on it:
**Summary:**
Professor Madhav Gadgil, an ecologist and recipient of the UNEP’s ‘Champion of the Earth’ award, warns about the increasing frequency and severity of landslides in the Western Ghats, particularly impacting marginalized communities. He attributes this to unchecked development, disregard for ecological sensitivity, and a disconnect between the wealthy and vulnerable populations. He criticizes the suppression of honest environmental reporting, the dilution of the WGEEP report (which he headed), and the lack of implementation of the Forest Rights Act. He highlights the case of Fr. Bismarque Dias, a murdered environmental activist in Goa, and the struggle of the Caurem villagers against illegal mining. He advocates for community involvement in environmental decision-making and suggests that oppressed tea plantation laborers should take over the management of estates. Gadgil remains optimistic that change is possible, citing the example of Switzerland’s reforestation efforts.
**News Article:**
**Ecologist Warns of Impending Ecological Disaster in Western Ghats Due to Unchecked Development**
**Wayanad, Kerala – August 2, 2025** – A year after the devastating landslides in Wayanad, Kerala, renowned ecologist Professor Madhav Gadgil has issued a stark warning about the escalating ecological crisis in the Western Ghats. In an exclusive interview, the ‘Champion of the Earth’ recipient pointed to a dramatic surge in landslide frequency, disproportionately affecting marginalized communities, particularly tea estate laborers.
“Landslides are becoming increasingly common, not just in Wayanad, but across the country. We now have solid data indicating that we are approaching a tipping point,” Gadgil stated, citing data showing a hundredfold increase in landslides in the Maharashtra Western Ghats between 2010 and 2020.
Gadgil criticized the blatant disregard for the recommendations of the Western Ghats Ecology Expert Panel (WGEEP) report he headed in 2011, which classified the region into zones of varying ecological sensitivity. The recent Meppadi landslide occurred in a highly sensitive zone where the report had advocated for strict restrictions on construction and quarrying.
The ecologist highlighted the growing chasm between affluent urban populations and the economically vulnerable, who bear the brunt of ecological degradation. He cited examples of industries polluting rivers, displacing fishing communities, and suppressing environmental activism, referencing the unsolved murder of Goan environmentalist Fr. Bismarque Dias and the plight of the Caurem villagers fighting illegal mining.
Gadgil also lamented the dilution of the WGEEP report by subsequent committees and the continued non-implementation of the Forest Rights Act, which grants crucial rights to local communities. He called for a fundamental shift towards community-driven environmental decision-making, suggesting that oppressed tea plantation laborers should seize control of estate management.
Despite the grim prognosis, Gadgil remains optimistic. “I am an incorrigible optimist,” he said, drawing parallels with Switzerland’s successful reforestation efforts driven by local communes. He believes that empowering local communities with information and decision-making authority is crucial to averting ecological disaster and ensuring a sustainable future for the Western Ghats.
First Piper 