"The Wounded Hill" is a documentary that takes place in the Western Ghats of Kerala, showcasing both its beauty and its destruction. The Western Ghats is a highly biodiverse region and has an intricate relationship between land, humans, and animals that has existed for centuries. The documentary highlights the diversity of the Western Ghats, from its majestic mountains and rivers to its unique flora and fauna.

However, the documentary also sheds light on the detrimental effects of human activity on the region. With the ever-increasing demand for resources to support the rising population, natural resources are being depleted at an alarming rate. This imbalance in nature is playing a significant role in landslides and other natural disasters in the region.

Illegal stone quarrying and mining are major culprits of landslides and earthquakes in the Western Ghats. These activities involve the use of explosives that create shockwaves, shaking the earth and causing the land to loosen, which can lead to devastating landslides. Trees cut down for quarrying and mining also contribute to soil erosion.

The documentary highlights the need for restrictions on illegal stone quarrying and mining and the enactment of laws to safeguard the natural habitat. Sustainable development programs should also be emphasized, allowing us to meet present needs without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own.

In conclusion, "The Wounded Hill" brings attention to the beauty and fragility of the Western Ghats while emphasizing the importance of responsible human behavior in preserving the environment for future generations. As the saying goes, "as you sow, so shall you reap." Mother nature does not need humans for its survival, but rather the opposite.

Original Summery

Rains are not new to Kerala. The monsoons are the elixir of life to this southern State of India. But in the past two years, things have changed. Landslides in the Western Ghats have swept away land and lives at an unprecedented scale. What is it in the hills that has triggered this disaster? Much effort from eminent environmentalists and scientists have gone into understanding the issue. In broad terms, the understanding is that human intervention has upset the delicate balance among the various forces of nature in this ecological hotspot. Reports that detail the toll of human activity in the hills, such as the one from the Western Ghats Ecology Expert Panel led by Madhav Gadgill, have been the focal points of much deliberation and allegedly, little action. Amid the push and pull among governments and those tasked with action, it is the people that depend on them that bear the brunt of nature. In this documentary from The Hindu, we visit the wounded hills and people of the Western Ghats. We also talk to the experts and environmentalists who point us towards root causes and coming disasters.