Nature Is Wreaking Havoc In Wayanad! Why Is The Kerala Police Warning Against Dark Tourism?

 Landslide in Wayanad district.

Surrounded by lush evergreen forests, three-tiered Soochipara ( “ Soochi “ meanin ” Needle” and “Para” meaning “ Waterfall”)  waterfalls also known as, Sentinel rock waterfalls and Edakkal caves located at a distance of 25 km from Kalpetta in the Wayanad district of Kerela experienced landslides. Mepaddi,  Mundakkai, and Chooralmala are the main regions that got affected. Punhirimattom, a remote village is the origin point of the landslide.

This disaster occurred past midnight hours. A total of 300 people lost their lives. Homes got destroyed. Nature did not stop there. Non-stop heavy rainfalls and cloud bursts the next morning added to the already worse conditions.

 Tourists and villagers of Wayanad injured due to the landslides were admitted to the hospital. Many others remain missing. It is presumed that many people must be buried under the rubble and debris. Rescue teams are operating and trying to save as many as possible. Unfortunately, the death toll is rising. Also, efforts are being made to recover the lost dead bodies. Indian Air Force helicopters are being used to airlift the dead bodies found in the Kalini and Chaliyar rivers of the region.

Even though this was a natural disaster, we humans played a major role in the Wayanad landslide occurrence. Let’s understand, how.

We are failing to understand the carrying capacity of hill stations and their topology and even if we do, we ignore the necessary measures required and keep on exploiting nature. These hill stations tolerate uncontrolled construction of roads, malls, restaurants, and hotels.

Unchecked mining is taking place and tunnels are being dug. Due to the blissful beauty, hill stations become tourist attractions and are good for business. For example, Soochipara Falls is a must-have all-time experience. The stunning natural beauty is surrounded by steep hills which offers tourists a chance for rock climbing and trekking. It is worth witnessing this gorgeous sight. Travelers find peace in nature’s lap.

Bearing witness to human existence, survival, and passion for documenting the complete journey, Edakkal Caves is an accurate representation. Different varieties of engravings and paintings are carved on the walls inside the cave depicting day-to-day activities, human interactions, food, tools, stories, animals, and scripts in a variety of ancient languages. Muniyaras or ancient burial sites are also a source of attraction for historians and travelers. Edakkal caves are one of the oldest human settlements to be discovered. 

People plan to monetize on beauty and history but fail to make sustainability a part of their plan. And such catastrophe is a wake-up call by nature. If we fail to respond correctly by striking a balance, we will have to face worse consequences.

Wayanad is a green peaceful hill station in the western ghats, famous for biological reserves, national parks, and wildlife sanctuaries. It has rich flora and fauna. A study from 2022 tells us that these forests are depleting, due to unchecked human activities and not following scientific construction methods. Currently, the region is rich in rubber plantations, which also affected the landslide. As the rubber plants can’t hold the soil firmly, it added to the intensity of the landslide.

With this example, we can understand how harmful it can get in the future and the severity of our present circumstances.

Present Situation: 1419 rescue officers have been placed in the area. 93 relief camps have been set up and about 1000 people have reached these camps. The agricultural sector in Wayanad has suffered from Rs. 21.11 crore of losses. 

The number of deaths increased to 361. 68 houses in Attamala and 600 in Chooralmala were destroyed. Search operations are being carried out in 6 zones and in  6 districts named Kasargod, Kannur, Wayanad, Kozhikode, Idduki, and Kottayam, a Yellow alert has been issued. It is a warning issued to signal a slight possibility of heavy or moderate rainfall which might disrupt day-to-day conveyance. It means “ Be Aware”, and signals people to keep updated with the latest weather report. The Indian Army maintains connectivity to the best of its ability, even in remote villages. 

Indian actor Sunny Wayne and Union Minister Suresh Gopi visited the site. Help is being offered by various people. Famous Indian actor Allu Arjun donated 25 lakhs whereas UDF MLAs have decided to give away their one-month salary.  The actor donated 5 lakhs and a sum of 2 crores has been donated by Bhima Jewelry Group.  Jayaram A 50 lakhs have been donated to CMDRF by Pothys Retail Ltd.

The CMDRF donations are managed by a team, headed by Sriram Venkitaraman.   Life insurance companies have been asked by the finance ministry to be quick, efficient, and available and give the sufferers and their families the claimed amount. Rs. four crore have been sanctioned by the Kerala government to offer aid.  Cochin Shipyard Ltd. would be donating Rs 1 crore to provide help from their side. An Educational Project worth Rs. 1 crore has been declared by  Munnar Catering College. 

The government has decided to provide a free ration for August.  The Food and Civil Supplies Minister said that in the region affected by the disaster i.e the Wayanad dis, it will be free for all categories. Efforts for the Rehabilitation Process have begun.  “Help for Wayanad cell”, has been formed by the state government to coordinate all the help they are receiving. 

Warning against Dark Tourism!

Kerala Corps has warned the general public against dark tourism so that the ongoing rescue operations would not affected in the disaster-stricken areas. 

What is “Dark Tourism”?

Humans have been intrigued by death and suffering forever. This curiosity leads them to places that have witnessed the same. Dark tourism can be defined as travel to destinations with a history of suffering, tragedy, disaster, and death. From Holocaust tourism in Germany to visiting cellular jails in Andaman and Nicobar also known as kalapani, one can find a long list of dark tourism destinations. 

In the case of a natural disaster, the general public visits the affected sites out of curiosity, which leads to crowding and friction in the rescue operations. It was  also happening in the case of Wayanad landslides.

Therefore these warnings were necessary.