" Local lifeline, nature’s timeline, Varkala cliffs threatened by climate and human activities", 30 October 2024

Stretching 7.5 km on the backshore, the golden-sand beach between the high-water mark and the landward limit of wave action, these cliffs are a rare geodiversity spot. Their minerals, rocks, fossils, soils, sediments, and landforms, as well as land and water features merit conservation, going by the global norms.

They offer a timeline to study the earth’s evolution and offer a lifeline to the local communities with its biodiversity and freshwater resources.

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Over the years, there has been hectic construction on the cliff – restaurants, resorts, parking lots and a helipad. The defining moment came in early June when the district administration of Thiruvananthapuram sent bulldozers to demolish a part of the cliffs to prevent landslides. The background is that landslides are threatening the highlands and hillslopes of Kerala as the changing climate brings more intense rains of late. The demolition happened near a spot where people perform last rites for their dear and near.

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Geological Survey of India (GSI) noted that the cliffs have been declared a “national geo-heritage site” in 2014.

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Fishermen often dive and chisel off mussels attached to these rocks. There are local fishing communities that specialise in this work.