Nature and biodiversity of Sikkim India

Two months have passed since the landslide began to severely affect Rimbi, West Sikkim. But for the people living through it, these two months have not felt like ordinary days. The landslide continues. The ground remains unstable. Rain brings fresh fear, and every movement of the mountain reminds people that the danger has not yet passed. There is still no clear sign of the situation coming to an end. For the affected families, life has changed completely. When home is no longer safe. For generations, a house is built not simply with bricks, concrete and wood, but with years of hard work, memories and dreams. In Rimbi, many families have been forced to leave their homes because remaining there has become too dangerous.  People are moving their belongings wherever they can—relief camps, government buildings and the homes of relatives. They carry clothes, documents, cooking utensils, food, bedding and whatever else can be saved. But no family can carry everything. Some things have to...

 Rimbi Landslide: A Warning from the Mountains Recently, I witnessed a huge landslide in Rimbi, Sikkim—an incident that has continued to affect our village for almost two months. Around 30–32 households have been severely affected, with families having to leave their homes and move to relief camps. Behind these numbers are homes, memories, livelihoods and people who are now living with uncertainty. But as an environmentalist and a person who has spent years observing the biodiversity of this landscape, I see another side of this disaster. A landslide does not affect human beings alone. It affects an entire ecosystem. When a mountain slope collapses, natural habitats are destroyed or buried. Trees, shrubs, herbs and other plant species disappear beneath mud and rocks. Birds lose nesting and feeding areas. Butterflies and other insects lose their host plants and nectar sources. Small animals lose shelter. Streams can become heavily loaded with soil and debris. And one of the most ser...