Wrapper Project Team Foreward Preface Executive Summary ...

District Agriculture Plan – Kanyakumari District 34OthersSome of the degraded lands, which could not be included in the above type ofland degradation, are included here. They are mass movement/ mass wastage, barrenrocky / stony waste areas.17. Mass movement/ Mass wastageLandslide areas are mostly included under mass movement/ mass wastage type ofland degradation. On sloping land when soil is saturated, the weight of the soil mayexceed the forces holding the soil in place. Under such circumstances mass movement inthe form of landslides or mudflows may occur. On steep slopes this mass movement maybe very rapid, involving the movement of large volumes of soil, usually on an isolatedevent and localized basis. In geologically recent and unstable mountain areas, such as theHimalayas, and areas prone to seismic and volcanic activity, landslides may be naturalphenomena. This class also includes the areas with mass wastage in terms of foothilldepositions like scree and bazada zones, where the coarse material like sand and pebblesgets deposited because of erosion in upper catchment area. However, their frequency andseverity may greatly increase following destruction of the natural vegetative cover bylogging and/or clearing for cultivation18. Barren rocky / stony areasBarren / rocky / stony areas are the rock exposures of varying lithology often barrenand devoid of soil and vegetal cover. They occur in hill forests as openings or as isolatedexposures on plateau and plains. These can be easily delineated from other type ofdegraded land because of their severe nature of degradation and typical spectralsignature.