25 Years of Silent Valley

Butterflies (Photo Credit -Vinod Kumar T.G.)

Orchid in the Valley (Photo Credit -Vinod Kumar T.G.)

An earth-worm (Photo Credit -Vinod Kumar T.G.)

Entry point to the Valley (Photo Credit -Vinod Kumar T.G.)

25 Years of Silent Valley: People united shall always be victorious

What is the greatest contribution of Mrs. Indira Gandhi, former prime minister of India? Those who hates her will immediately tells you, it is her declaration of 'Emergency' and her decision for ‘Operation Blue Star’ and those who appreciate her political sharpness and courage will consider her decision for Pokran 1 and on Indo-Pak war and freedom of Bangladesh as her major achievement. All these will remain as the living monument of her contributions but the most significant and beautiful monument for her lying in the south-western side of the country.

Those who love the nature and understand the importance of protecting environment will consider her decision to protect ‘Silent Valley’ forests will be the greatest monument for her life. It was her interference which protected the untouched ever-green forest in Kerala from greedy construction lobby and its state run electricity board. May be, one of her last decision which signed just before her death but it is enough to keep her memory among people who love nature and life.

Success of the silent valley movement provided enough confidence to the environmentalists in the country and during the last 25 years, it enabled to provide different dimensions to eco-politics in India. The way it created awareness on environmental issues in Kerala society was tremendous and the spark of that movement is still carried by the young generation in all discussions and debates regarding developmental issues.

Save Silent Valley Movement was the first inclusive ecological movement occurred in Kerala. An article written by Professor M. K. Prasad in one Malayalam periodical in 1979 June triggered a number of questions towards the Kerala civil society on the importance of sustainable development and environment protection. In fact, his article created enough space for debates and discussions on environmentalism across Kerala and was successful to draw support from people like academics, literary figures, journalists, teaching community and some segment of political institutions. By first quarter of 1980s, Save Silent Valley Movement attracted national and international attention and reached in the ears of then Prime Minister Mrs. Indira Gandhi.

Mrs. Gandhi was inspired by her participation in UN Environmental Summit in 1972 at Stockholm organised by UNEP. This summit was successful to create a clear perspective on environmental issues among the participants and especially in Mrs. Gandhi. To address the issues discussed in the summit, Mrs. Gandhi asked National Committee for Environmental Planning and Conservation (NCPCE) to identify the ever-green forests in the Western Gats, which should be protected by the government. The committee headed by environmentalist Zafar Fatehally started its work from Kudremukh in Karnataka but failed to find such ever-green forest there because by the time, the mining industry did devastating damage to the forest areas there. They extended their exploration towards south and found and convinced that this place should be protected by the government. The committee was very much aware about the Kerala Electricity Board’s plan for dam construction and realised the implications of it. So, in their report, they detailed about the importance of this region, what precautions should be taken to protect this place and how it should be implemented. In fact, this report triggered Prof. M.K. Prasad to look closely into Silent Valley and it created a new awareness among the people.

On 15 November 1984, the Government of India through an official order brought Silent Valley region under National Park status. This was this success story of Silent Valley but its real success lies in the awareness campaign it triggered. The movement was successful in generating awareness in environmentalism among the people and enabled them to approach development issues through different dimensions of sustainable development. The success of Silent Valley movement carried the message of environmentalism but it is doubtful whether it reached in proper way to the Indian civil society and created right kind of awareness. After 25 years of Silent Valley, success stories are quiet less and failed stories of peoples’ effort to protect environment and livelihood are more. Even Silent Valley is not completely out from danger. Kerala State Electricity Board and government of Kerala is still keen to push their agenda and their new ‘Patrakadavu’ project is hanging like the sword of Damocles over the Silent Valley. Still, we all lives with hope, and it is very clear that ‘the people united shall always be victories’. If people are victorious, the valley will remain as the best monument for Indira Gandhi.

(My sincere thanks to my friend Vinodan for allowing me to use his photographs)