A review on The Wounded Hills

Arun Kumar Mohakur

LLB 5th Semester
This documentary is based on Western Ghats of Kerala region, titled The Wounded Hill.
Through this documentary we are able to see the grandeur of the Western Ghats and also its
miserable picture. The Western Ghats is considered as one of the most bio-diverse places in
the world. The Ghats shows us an intricate relationship between land, humans and animals
that has been in existence from centuries. The documentary shows us the diversity in the
Western Ghats with its mountains, rivers, and its flora and fauna. Through this documentary
we are able to get an insight on how the competition for resources is on rise without any care
for Mother Nature and how a hill can be the cause of destruction in Kerala is well depicted.
Human wants are unlimited. To meet the present demand of the rising population the natural
resources are being depleated at ahigher rate then accretion. The Western Ghats is playing a
major role in the imbalance in the nature. The documentary is mainly focused on the Land
slides in the Western Ghats due to which many people have lost their lives and livelihood.
The main reason for the Landslides as depicted in the documentary is the human intervention
in the nature. To meet the ever rising demand of the population and earning profit in tons the
resources of nature are being compromised. The illegal stone quarrying in the Western Ghats
are playing a major role in the landslides and frequent earthquakes in Kerala. The rock
quarries usually use explosives which shakes the earth. As waves can travel faster in solid
medium so is the shockwave that are arising due to explosion in the stone quarries which
trigger landslides and earthquake. The explosion in the stone quarries creates shockwaves
which in return makes the earth to shake and the land gets loosen which with rainfall shed off
and cause devastating landslides. The trees cut on the Western Ghats areas for quarrying and
mining are the major reasons of the soil being eroded by rainfall. The documentary shows us
how the windmills which are used to generate electricity for the rising demand of increasing
population are also playing a major role in causing destruction to the nature.
Illegal stone quarrying and mining should be restricted and proper laws for safeguarding the
natural habitat should be enacted. Sustainable development programme should be emphasised
on and law regarding the same should be brought.
The documentary throws emphasis on Sustainable development programmes by which we
humans can meet the present need without compromising the ability of the future generations
to meet their own needs. It is not the mother nature that needs humans for its survival but it is
rather opposite. As you sow so shall you reap is the tag that mother nature has given to us.