Differentiate the causes of landslides in the Himalayan region and Western Ghats. UPSC IAS Mains 2021 General Studies (Paper – 1)
Landslides are the movement of mass of debris, earth or rock, sliding down under the effect of gravity. Landslides are a common problem across the Himalayas and Western Ghats. However, the factors for the two differ.
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Western Ghats
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Himalayan region
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- Heavy mining activities in the western ghat region is a major factor leading to landslides.
- Deforestation for settlements and cutting for road construction.
- Anthropogenic activities gave rise to anomalous slopes, and due to gravitational pull and rain, the overlying material comes down.
- Concentration of heavy rainfall in concentrated areas.
- Windmill projects have led to huge fractures on the mountains, loosening structures.
- For example, Ratnagiri, Satara, Idduki etc.
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- Himalayas are young, fragile mountains still growing, hence susceptible to natural landslides.
- The sediments in the mountains are not consolidated, and are loose.
- There is tectonic activity, with the plate moving up which causes instability; hence the landslides can also occur during the dry seasons.
- The steep and sharp slope in the Himalayas are major factors for the landslides in the region.
- Anthropogenic factors in Himalayas include, jhum cultivation, deforestation etc., leading to landslides.
- For example, Almora, Pithoragarh, Rudraprayag etc.
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Landslide as a challenge has grown in the recent years, due to anthropogenic activities. In this light, along with sustainable development policies, indigenous knowledge should be leveraged. Construction in eco-sensitive zones need to be checked. Recommendations of Kasturirangan/ Madhav Gadgil reports and guidelines of NDMA on landslides need to be followed.
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