Flood and Fury: Ecological Devastation in the Western Ghats

by Viju B.

The floods that devastated large parts of Kerala in 2018 were not an isolated, freak phenomenon; rather, they signalled something graver-the ecological devastation of the Western Ghats.
Made a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2012, the Ghats have become increasingly vulnerable to serious ecological damage, threatening the sustenance of their people. The 2018 floods were a wake-up call for the region spanning 1600 kilometres and six states-Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Goa, Maharashtra and Gujarat-that form an ecosystem older than the Himalayas.
Travelling in this region, documenting the devastating large-scale mining, quarrying, deforestation and mismanagement of water resources, at the same time mapping its culture, history and ecology, Viju B. investigates the crisis in the Western Ghats and suggests policy measures urgently required to mitigate it.

Genres: Nonfiction

234 pages, Kindle Edition

Published August 19, 2019

Reviews

[Umesh Kesavan]

The book's release coincided with the first anniversary of the catastrophic 2018 Kerala floods . The book's "success" lies in the fact that it keeps arguing that the 2018 floods is not an one-off event and sadly,the book's release was greeted with the second bout of floods and landslides in consecutive years. The author travels across the entire stretch of Western Ghats ( with special attention on Kerala) and comes up with a panoramic view of how human interventions have led to such ecological damage. He intersperses painful stories of disaster with positive anecdotes of local communities and NGOs striving to rejuvenate the Mother Earth. The book is poorly edited with lots of typos and repetitions but that is mere nitpicking. The book is a much-needed warning.

[Siddharth]

Environmental communication.

Thorough research.
Writer's collection of ecological stories was perspicuous and penetrating.
Noting the reasons from Scientists,bureaucrats,local communities, government bodies and the ground level facts and the gap in between.

[T.R.]

Review forthcoming...

[Shreya Haridas]

Covers tribals' opinions and how they led a sustainable life before.

[Jisha]

You can agree or disagree on discussions linking recent floods and landslides on human interventions, but this book will make us understand the need to preserve our most valuable asset - the Western Ghats. Where jargon-ridden scientific reports and one-sided advocacy by environmentalists failed, the author effortlessly conveys the message with his interesting style of narration and unbiased view. Flood and Fury is timely and prophetic..

[Preeti Menon]

Flood and fury ignites a thought-provoking read that drew me in from the first chapter and it's takes you through a journey of known- unknown. A remarkable book with
easy-flowing narratives and conversations .
Knowledge of natural disaster has never been more ubiquitous Fantastic effort by the author Viju B for the effort taken and bring it to print

You rather have a wand than pen......