Silent Valley Movement.

 

Question: Silent Valley Movement.

The Silent Valley Movement in Kerala stands as a pioneering environmental campaign in India, successfully halting a hydroelectric project in the 1970s and 1980s to preserve a unique rainforest ecosystem, marking a victory for biodiversity conservation over development. Led by local activists and scientists, it demonstrated the efficacy of public advocacy and scientific evidence in policy change. In conclusion, the movement not only saved a pristine habitat but also set precedents for environmental impact assessments, influencing subsequent conservation efforts nationwide.

Background and Project Proposal

Silent Valley, a 89-square-kilometer tropical evergreen forest in Palakkad district, home to endangered species like the lion-tailed macaque, faced threat from a dam proposed in 1958 by the Kerala State Electricity Board. Approved in 1973, the project aimed to generate 240 megawatts by submerging 8.3 square kilometers, displacing wildlife and altering the Kunthipuzha River.

Campaign and Key Figures

Opposition began in 1976 with the Kerala Sastra Sahitya Parishad (KSSP), a people's science movement founded in 1962, led by M.P. Parameswaran and poets like Sugathakumari, who coined "Save Silent Valley" in her 1977 writings. International support came from the International Union for Conservation of Nature in 1979, with Salim Ali, ornithologist since the 1930s, highlighting avian diversity. Protests included marches in 1980 and petitions to Prime Minister Indira Gandhi.

Strategies and Challenges

Strategies encompassed scientific reports, like the 1979 ecological study by Zafar Futehally showing irreversible biodiversity loss, media campaigns, and legal petitions. Challenges included state government insistence on energy needs amid 1970s shortages, but public pressure mounted with 1982 hunger strikes.

Outcome and Significance                          www.osmanian.com

In 1983, Gandhi declared Silent Valley a national park, formalized in 1985, banning the project. This led to the 1986 Environment Protection Act requiring assessments. The movement inspired the 1989 Palni Hills campaign and emphasized participatory conservation.