Hollowing out the hills

Hollowing out the hills

The Nilgiris is under attack. Climate change and falling tea prices have heralded a transformation in the hills that does not augur well for its fragile ecosystem. The rapid real estate expansion on erstwhile tea estates in the Blue Mountains is placing additional pressure on the hills, creating demands for new infrastructure and dramatically altering the landscape, setting alarm bells ringing, says Rohan Premkumar.