Wayanad an eye-opener for Goa, no compromise on ecological stability: CM

The devastating landslides in Wayanad in Kera are an eye-opener for Goa, Chief Minister Pramod Sawant said on Thursday. Massive landslides triggered by torrential rains hit Mundakkai, Chooralmala, Attamala, and Noolpuzha hamlets in the early hours of Tuesday, killing 190 people, including women and children, so far, while more than 200 are missing.

"The Wayanad tragedy is an eye-opener for Goa. I have given instructions to various departments that ecologically sensitive areas, which are prone to such incidents should not be touched. The stability of such ecologically sensitive places cannot be compromised," the CM said in the assembly. "A system will be developed to report and monitor hill cutting in the state.

The government has identified four landslide hot-spots located in high altitudes in the north-eastern, eastern parts and in low-lying areas of western and south-western parts," he said. The major cause of landslides in Goa are found to be extreme rainfall events, slope instability and geological factors, he said, adding an analysis showed rainfall-triggered landslides are the most frequent. Sawant was speaking on a calling attention motion brought in by Leader of Opposition Yuri Alemao, Revolutionary Goans MLA Viresh Borkar and BJP MLA Ganesh Gaonkar.

Earlier in the day, state minister Atanasio Monserratte told the House the Goa State Disaster Management Authority had informed the collector of Wayanad that it is ready to support the massive relief efforts underway there. "The Goa SDMA has conveyed condolences and willingness to support landslide relief efforts in Wayanad to the collector there via email," Monserratte said.

Responding to a calling attention motion moved by Leader of Opposition Yuri Alemao in the assembly, the state revenue minister also said unplanned and excessive development in both districts of Goa, including Dharbandora in the Western Ghats, have made these areas prone to landslides, adding the government has taken mitigating steps.

The Landslide Atlas of India prepared by National Remote Sensing Centre, Isro, Hyderabad, in February 2023 has ranked North and South Goa districts at 111th and 121st, respectively, in exposure to landslides among 147 districts in the country, Monserratte told the House. Elaborating on mitigating steps taken by the Goa government, he said, as per information provided by Town and Country Planning Department, no development is otherwise permitted in ecologically sensitive areas such as hilly regions having slopes more than 25 per cent, low lying paddy fields, khazan lands, forest lands, mangroves etc.

Any kind of infrastructure development in these areas can be done only after taking permission from concerned authorities, he added. The minister said at least 15 minor to medium landslides, including the one in Anmod ghat area of Dharbandora, were witnessed in the state during the current monsoons, debris from which blocked the national highway. "However, timely action was taken by SDMA through Fire and Emergency Services and PWD to clear the debris so that people are not inconvenienced," Monserratte added.