Western Ghats’ Fading Streams Sound An Alarm

Mangaluru: The Western Ghats have always been a place of solace for environmentalist Dinesh Holla—a living, breathing classroom where he has spent decades observing the rhythm of nature. He knows every place in the forest. But on a recent visit, what he witnessed left him disturbed. The streams he has known for decades—those that brim with monsoon-fed vigor even in December—were flowing at barely half their usual capacity.

“It was like looking at a person who suddenly got weak,” Holla says, describing the streams of Soppinagudda and Ramanagudda. “There has been continuous rain since March. Everybody speaks of rain and rain everywhere. But the water flow in the streams in Western Ghats which I saw a few weeks ago is the kind of water flow we see around mid-February. Not November.”

Across coastal Karnataka—Dakshina Kannada, Udupi and Uttara Kannada—the story is almost the same, he says. Despite complaints of rain every month since March, the moisture is simply not reaching the rivulets and catchment areas. What the skies give, the earth is unable to hold.

“Water, rivers, forests, animals—everything is linked like a chain,” he says. “Break one link, the whole system collapses.”

And in the quiet streams of the Ghats, flowing thinner than ever, that collapse has already begun to whisper its warning.

A Silent Warning

Between Soppinagudda and Ramanagudda lies a valley where animals often rest and drink from a shallow water depression. “That spot is always wet,” Holla says. “Animals stop there during their movement. The ground is usually bare because they graze and rest. But this time even that water pocket lacks the regular water. It may dry up in two months. Even downstream in places like Mundaje, the river is flowing half the capacity, the half is filled with sand.”

For someone who has walked these forests for over two decades, Holla says these signs are not isolated—they are symptoms of a system collapsing quietly.

“People tell me about regular rain. But seeking the situation in the forest I tell them there is drought in the near future,” he adds.

The Ghats That Shape Our Lives

The Western Ghats run like a spine along the coastal districts, feeding major west-flowing rivers—Sharavati, Netravati, Kumaradhara, Seetha, Swarna, Aghanashini and Kali. Each river draws strength from dozens of rivulets and streams. For example, the Netravati alone has over nine major feeder streams- Yelaneeru, Bandaje, Mrityunjaya, Aniyuru, Sunala, Neriya, Kapila, Kempu, Kumaradhara. These miniature water arteries sustain forests, wildlife, farms and drinking-water systems for lakhs of people downstream.

Yet, a few understand the science behind their existence.

“When rain falls on the shola forests and grasslands, they absorb the water like a sponge,” Holla explains. “This slow release is what keeps rivers alive even in January. But once the grasslands and trees are damaged, the sponge tears. Water just runs off.”

Grasslands: The Neglected Guardians

Grasslands, often mistaken for barren land, are among the most fragile ecosystems in the Ghats. Today, many of them are severely damaged.

Forest fires—often caused by careless campers, cigarette butts or deliberate mischief—scorch not just trees in the Shola forest but also the very roots of grasslands. Repeated fires in the same location leave behind dead soil that cannot absorb water. This damage shows up as instant flooding in rivers: a few hours of rain causing violent discharge, followed by long spells of dryness. Also the dry soil gets washed away in the water which flows downstream. Landslides are also a result of such a situation.

Landslides Still Alive Beneath the Soil

The landslides of 2017 and 2019 left deep scars. But Holla says smaller, unseen landslides continue in remote hill pockets where human presence is minimal.

“When a catchment area collapses, the river loses its lungs,” he says. “You get sudden gushes when it rains, and complete silence when it stops. Ideally, streams should flow steadily till late January. But the landslide damages the flow and many a times diverts the flow. In those places where there have been landslide the soil is washed away, the exposed rocks there increases the temperature”

Human interference—homestays, hilltop resorts, road projects, and unregulated trekking—have made the slopes even more unstable.

“We Worship Rivers But Destroy Them”

Environmental activist Shashidhar Shetty from the National Environment Care Federation puts it bluntly:

“It is an irony. Indians worship rivers but treat them like dumping yards. People abroad may not worship but respect and protect them.”

He cites the example of Shishila village. “The water in the river near Sri Shishileshwar temple was once clean and revered. Today it is full of plastic, cement bags and trash. And the flow has drastically reduced.”

Shetty warns that pesticide and chemical runoff near catchment regions can eventually harm human populations. “In Bihar, uranium was found in breast milk. Endosulfan’s impact still lingers decades later. What chemicals are we pushing into our own rivers here?”

Downstream Cities Will Feel the Thirst

The dwindling flow in the Ghats will directly impact cities like Mangaluru and Udupi. Water supply dams may struggle to hold enough water during summer. But the consequences are far-reaching.

As water bodies and grasslands dry up, animals will move toward villages, increasing human–wildlife conflict. Microscopic organisms—essential to the forest soil—will vanish. In the long run, the entire ecosystem may tilt beyond recovery.

Saving the Ghats Requires More Than Slogans

“Mere slogans like ‘Save Forest’ or ‘Save Tigers’ mean nothing,” Holla says. “Tigers can survive only if their prey survive. And prey can survive only if the forests thrive."

He stresses the role of animals in forest regeneration. “The more animals move inside the forest, the thicker the forest grows. The thicker the forest is, the more safe the catchment is.”

Government Efforts—and the Road Ahead

Forest and Ecology Minister Eshwar Khandre has introduced several strict measures—curbing illegal occupation of forest land, regulating trekking routes and improving enforcement.

But activists believe much more is needed from the officials and public.

“People should be aware and take interest in environment protection. They should understand the importance and take necessary measures. Unless people join hands nothing can be done,” activists feel.

The Western Ghats are not just scenic hills—they are water factories, wildlife corridors, and the climatic shield of South India. They are also living memories for people like Holla, who fears his grandchildren may never see them the way he once did.