Effect of quarrying on the slope stability in Banasuramala: an offshoot valley of Western Ghats, Kerala, India

The Narippara area, which is nestled in the Banasuramala of Wayanad district, witnessed initiation of landslide, which was manifested in the form of curvilinear cracks running for a length of 170 m. In the event of continuous rainfall, these cracks may get reactivated, leading to a major landslide. This could affect the life and livelihood of a large number of families living downslope and could cause extensive damage to property. Extensive mining for building stones in this area has been a cause for much concern amongst the local population. This study aims at understanding the impact of quarrying on slope stability through geotechnical, geophysical and environmental impact assessment (EIA). Geotechnical analysis shows that the area is stable under dry condition but parts of the area are critical under wet and saturated conditions. Moreover, resistivity studies revealed that the cracks that had developed extend up to the bedrock and the suspected mechanism of failure will be translational in nature. EIA reveal that due to quarrying and mining operations, the possibility of land disturbances cannot be ruled out during the monsoon season. In the present study, an attempt is also made to suggest management strategies for mitigating further effects of landslides in this area.