Dubbed ‘God’s Own Country,’ Kerala is a haven for nature lovers. Steeped in lush greenery and nature, it is one of the most beautiful states in India. Recently, Kerala has been on an urbanisation spree. In 2011, 47% of Kerala’s population was urbanised. This number is expected to cross 58.4% by 2030. This massive growth has made Kerala one of the most urbanised states in India. Although urbanisation has many benefits, it also comes with its own caveats.
The rapid construction of roads, bridges, and dams has affected natural habitats and the state’s biodiversity. According to a 2019 study by the Centre for Environmental Studies, Kerala has lost more than 22% of its first area between 2001 and 2016, mostly because of urbanisation. Landsat Imagery from 1988 to 2019 concluded that the state has significantly decreased their vegetation cover from 125 Km square in 1988 to 71 Km square in 2019. Not only this, the Landsat imagery also showed that the built-in area in the state has increased from 10 km square in 1988 to 68 Km square in 2019.
Kerala has also been prone to floods in the past few years. In 2018, a flood hit 13 out of 14 states of Kerala and took the lives of more than 489 people, and around 1.25 million people were displaced. Another flood came in 2020, which killed 100 people and injured more than 80. The major reason for these floods was excessive rainfall, which many scientists believe is because of climate change. Deforestation in Kerala has affected the state’s ecosystem, which is a major cause of climate change. Moreover, constant urbanisation and deforestation have increased the instances of landslides. Which also accounts for massive floods.
However, the most surprising thing is that even after being a flood-prone area, Kerala isn’t immune to droughts. The state has experienced several droughts in recent years. In 2017, Kerala faced a drought that affected cities like Kollam, Palakkad, Kannur, and Kasaragod. Despite 3000 mm of rainfall, the state faced drought. According to experts, this was the direct result of urbanisation. Although large dams and reservoirs are good for storing water and preventing flooding, they also disrupt the natural flow of water, giving rise to many ecological anomalies. Moreover, the 331,904 kilometres of roads have affected natural landscapes and have reduced water wetlands and forests, which are crucial for water retention and groundwater recharge.
Sensible and pragmatic urbanisation is the key to avoiding these ecological anomalies and saving God’s own country. It is also upon the people to raise awareness and urge the government to find a way to keep urbanising, but not at the loss of nature.
