Silent Valley Movement, History, Details, Effect, Significance and Result

Silent Valley Movement

In order to defend Silent Valley, an evergreen tropical forest in Kerala, India’s Palakkad district, the Silent Valley Movement was an uprising against the government. It was established in 1973 to prevent a hydroelectric project from flooding the Silent Valley Reserve Forest. In order to stop a hydroelectric project from flooding the Silent Valley Reserve Forest and endangering its ecology, the campaign was established in 1973. It is a crucial part of the UPSC Syllabus. The UPSC Mock Test can help candidates prepare for the exam with more precision.

Silent Valley Movement History

The Silent Valley movement was a well-known social and environmental campaign that began in the 1970s to oppose a proposed hydroelectric project in Kerala, India’s Silent Valley region. Environmentalists, scientists, and locals who were concerned about the loss of the area’s unique ecosystem and the displacement of indigenous communities were primarily in charge of the movement.

Silent Valley Movement Details

The rare animal and bird species found in the Silent Valley are well-known. The name “Silent Valley” was given to this valley because it is densely forested and has a large area covered in vegetation; otherwise, aside from some birds and insects, there are no loud noises in the forest. The Silent Valley is traversed by the Kunthipura River. This drops from a height of 2400 metres over a distance of about 15 kilometres.

The silent valley project, also known as the silent valley project, was officially announced, and this sparked the silent valley movement. The dam over the top stream, according to British technicians, can help generate hydroelectricity. In 1973, the planning commission granted its blessing. The primary objective of the project was to generate 120 megawatts of electrical power and 240 megawatts of electrical power from water.

In 1976, a bunch of environmentalists started to oppose the silent valley proposal. Under the leadership of the World Wildlife Fund India’s vice president at the time, a task force was formed. The task force worked on the project for more than a year and carried out several surveys that suggested stopping it. According to the task force’s report, the construction of the project will seriously harm the green cover. It will ultimately harm flora and fauna, as well as the water. This will result in high-scale forest disasters.

This report also advised that in case the government is compelled to build the dam, then they must also adhere to the 17 recommendations outlined in the given report. In 1979, the task force’s leader admitted that the original report was a blunder and made a plea to the government to cease the project completely.

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Silent Valley Movement Effects

The silent valley campaign was launched by Kerela Sasthra Sathiya Parishad (KSSP), an NGO and Kerala’s biggest organisation for popular science. The state conference agreed to the project ban proposal, and the KSSP started a massive signature drive to halt the project’s construction. The legislative assembly then approved the project. KSSP launched a booklet named “The silent valley movement hydroelectric project- A techno-economic and socio-political assessment”. The project was abandoned in 1979 after the state government was ordered to do so by India’s then-prime minister.

Silent Valley Movement Significance

The Silent Valley Movement was instrumental in protecting this area of dense tropical forest, which was home to a wide variety of flora and wildlife. The campaign was successful in stopping the building of a hydroelectric dam that would have caused the flooding of significant portions of the forest, irreparable harm to the ecosystem, and eviction of the local tribal communities. The Silent Valley Movement brought focus to the ecological significance of the Silent Valley and the dangers presented by the proposed dam. It assisted in increasing general understanding of environmental issues and the need to safeguard natural habitats.

India’s environmental policies were significantly shaped by the success of the Silent Valley Movement. The National Committee for Environmental Planning and Coordination was established as a result, and its job was to examine and evaluate the environmental effects of potential development initiatives.

The Environmental Protection Act of 1986, which established regulations for the avoidance of environmental pollution and the preservation of habitats, was also made possible by the movement. Similar campaigns to safeguard the environment and maintain natural habitats were inspired by the success of the Silent Valley Movement in India and other countries. It proved the effectiveness of grassroots action and the significance of citizen involvement in environmental protection.

In order to protect the delicate ecosystem, the Silent Valley National Park is now a protected area, and entrance is tightly controlled. The park is a major contributor to the preservation of biodiversity in the area and is home to a diverse range of flora and fauna, including several endangered species. The Silent Valley Movement played a significant role in defending the rights of the local tribal communities. The campaign helped draw attention to the plight of several tribal communities that the proposed dam would have uprooted, preventing their uprooting.

The Silent Valley is a distinctive ecosystem that has made a major contribution to academic study of tropical forests and their ecology. The Silent Valley Movement’s efforts to preserve the area have made it possible to conduct more research and study on the area’s flora and fauna, which has resulted in the finding of a number of new species. For those who enjoy the outdoors and wildlife, the Silent Valley National Park has grown to be a popular destination. The park provides chances for ecotourism, which can boost the local economy and give local communities a means of subsistence.

Silent Valley Movement Result

The silent valley campaign was essential in preventing the valley’s biodiversity from being destroyed. The movement was started by Kerala Sasthra Sathiya Parishad (KSSP), which was an NGO, along with being Kerala’s largest science organization. The state government approved the project ban proposal, and the KSSP launched a significant signature drive to stop its construction.

The proposal was then approved by the legislative assembly. The Silent Valley Movement Hydroelectric Project: A Techno-economic and Sociopolitical Assessment is a manual published by the KSSP. In 1979, the state government received a directive from India’s then-Prime Minister to stop working on the project.

Silent Valley Movement Conservation status

With the intention of protecting the distinctive biodiversity of the area, the Indian government designated Silent Valley as a national park in 1985. The 89.52 square kilometre national park is home to numerous rare and endangered plant and animal species. The Lion-tailed macaque, Nilgiri tahr, and Silent Valley whistling thrush are just a few of the severely endangered plant and animal species that call the Silent Valley home.

Despite being designated as a protected area, Silent Valley still faces a number of threats to its biodiversity, such as poaching, unauthorised logging, and human encroachment. Numerous conservation initiatives have been carried out, including habitat restoration, wildlife tracking, and consciousness raising campaigns, to safeguard the Silent Valley’s exceptional biodiversity. The Western Ghats Ecology Expert Panel (WGEEP) and the Western Ghats Ecology Sensitive Area (ESA) notification have additionally aided in safeguarding the area’s delicate ecosystem.

Silent Valley Movement UPSC

The UPSC syllabus’s General Studies section includes a significant section on the silent valley movement. Understanding the silent valley’s ecological significance and the role of different environmentalists in preventing the silent valley project from being completed is essential to understanding the silent valley Andolan in its entirety. Students can read all the details related to UPSC visiting the official website of StudyIQ UPSC online Coaching.

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