A Water Crisis Is Coming To Karnataka As Western Ghats River Begin To Dry

There may be uncertainty over what becomes of the Cauvery conundrum, but environmentalists are certain of one thing: this is going to be one difficult summer for Karnataka. In fact, environmentalist Dinesh Holla says we could be facing one of the worst water crises ever because rivers in the Western Ghats are already running dry.

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Holla, who is the convener of Sahyadri Sanchaya that works for the conservation of the Western Ghats, says he was shocked to see how little was left of the Netravathi and its tributaries.

"We have been trekking for the past 22 years and are familiar with the region and its changing patterns. Every year, Sahyadri Sanchaya organises monsoon treks. From August to October, water flow in Netravathi (which originates in the Western Ghats) and its nine tributaries and 42 streams should be at its peak. But not this time. Its many waterfalls, that should be gushing in full strength, are also noticeably weak," he says.

Holla says the scene at Western Ghats currently resembles what it is supposed to be in the January-March period. This year, for the first time, even Dakshina Kannada district faces a water crisis. The coming year is going to be worse, not just for the district, but for the entire state, he warns.

A team from Sahyadri Sanchaya went to Madhugundi near the Mrithyunjaya tributary of Netravathi in the Charmadi Ghat range recently. According to the locals, around mid-monsoon, the region around Durgadahalli receives about 87 inches of rain, but this year, it got only 54 inches. This is the case in almost all places.

"If the rainfall is scarce at the river source, next year, the capacity of the Shola forest to retain rainfall automatically reduces. If the rain water for storage has to reach from grasslands to Shola forest, then the rain from June-October has to be at its peak," he says, adding that since this is not the case now, the state will bear the consequences in the coming March, April and May.

Last week, they went to Elaneer area in Kudremukh. Apart from the falls, several water source points have vanished, he says. The scene is no different in Sakleshpur. Areas that are supposed to get heavy rainfall such as Chikkamagaluru and Anshi forest of Dandeli have had a poor show.

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What's going wrong

Apart from planned "development" projects, there are several reasons for the gradual destruction of the Western Ghats.

Wildfires: Last summer, the Western Ghats region of the State was witness to a series of forest fires. Compared with the last few years, April-May this year saw several instances of forest fire, especially near the river basin. This included Shola forests and the grasslands of Devaramane forests (where river Kapila originates), especially in Minchukallu and Somanakadu forest area.

Grasslands protect the mountains and act as a safety cover. After a small wildfire, the forest is restored naturally during the first monsoon in May. But last year, there were at least four instances of wildfires and the impact was so much in the region that the roots were burnt completely.

Holla explained how grasslands were important in preventing soil erosion during heavy rain. In the absence of grasslands, sand particles would land in the source of water and block it. A four centimeter particle is sufficient to close the water points. These points are sensitive and there is no alternative to reopen them. Ultimately, this greatly impacts water conservation. If the water source is blocked, falls will become weak, followed by poor river flow.

Forest encroachment: Encroachers often claim that trees can be planted to replace the felled ones, but Holla points out that newly planted trees can never be compared with the natural vegetation found in the area. "We have seen huge forest lands being converted into estates and trees that have lived for several years replaced with rubber, rambutan or coffee. This naturally has an impact on the deer and bison populations, which are crucial to the ecosystem."

Hunting: Hunting is rampant in several regions of the Western Ghats, especially near Durgadabetta and Sakleshpur. According to Holla, villagers have warned the forest department about such incidents, but no action has been taken. Most estate owners or their friends come here to spend the weekend hunting.

"Recently, when we went to Devaramane forest, we heard firing and then found a huge bison bleeding. The meat is reportedly sold for Rs 300 a kg. The villagers say they hear firing at least once in 15 days, but their complaints have fallen on deaf ears," he said.

The Western Ghats are among the global hotspots of biodiversity. The region has over 4,000 species of flowering plants with 38 per cent endemic; 330 species of butterflies with 11 per cent endemic; 156 types of reptiles, 62 per cent endemic; 508 varieties of birds, 4 per cent endemic; 120 mammals, 12 per cent endemic; 289 types of fish, 41 per cent endemic; and 135 species of amphibians, 75 per cent of which are native to the ghats.

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Working with tribals

Tribals, who live in and around the forests, are the ones who primarily protect the land and the government needs to take care of the people. During wildfires, these are the people who understand the terrain better than anybody and are, therefore, able to get to the fire quicker.

In the absence of helicopters for aerial spraying, the tribal people are the first to reach the spot and do their bit. But now, due to the conflict between officials and tribal people, some of the latter no longer show interest in taking up the responsibility.

Allow selective trekking: The government must identify the ecologically sensitive areas and ban trekking there. Very often, trekkers are responsible for forest fires. For instance, they make a camp fire but don't douse it properly before leaving. A small spark is sufficient to burn down the entire forest. Many play loud music and break bottles and leave behind garbage. There have been reports of animals getting injured by glass pieces and of cattle swallowing plastic.

Restrict resorts: There has been a drastic increase in the number of resorts and home stays in the Western Ghats region. To live up to the claim of providing pure and natural drinking water, they connect pipes to waterfalls. This practice has been seen in several places in Madikeri and Chikkamagaluru. Consequently, the water, instead of going into the river, goes directly to the resorts. "For many, it's a source of income at the cost of Western Ghats," says Holla.

Keeping it clean: Sahyadri Sanchaya has conducted a series of exercises to clean up the ghats. It has also requested the forest department to install bins and nets to protect the forest.

"It is not just the Shayadri Sanchaya's job. If every trekking group joins in, it would be a worthy contribution to save the Western Ghats," he says.