A Konkan secret, the sada needs more light

The sada are barren most of the year but become transformed during the monsoons

The Konkan region located between the Arabian sea on one side and the Western Ghats on the other is most well-known for its beaches and temples.

As one travels across the Western Ghats towards Ratnagiri district, the landscape slowly transitions from mountain ranges standing a thousand metres tall, with steep slopes, to rolling hills with flat tops locally called sada, meaning a large flat area. They are the result of centuries of erosion.

The sada are barren most of the year but become transformed during the monsoons. They are similar to the plateaux, locally called pathar, in the Satara district of Maharashtra, of which the Kaas Plateau is a well-known example.

The sada, like the pathar, are rocky and harbour unique endemic flora that cover it in the monsoon season. A study undertaken in the southern part of Ratnagiri district between 2022 and 2024 explored the habitat and documented the biodiversity and the ecosystem services they provide. (The author was part of the study group.)

The biodiversity survey recorded 459 plant species, of which 105 are endemic to the Konkan region. The team recorded 31 species of reptiles, 13 species of amphibians, 169 species of birds, and 41 species of mammals in the region.

During the monsoons, the locals use small patches of sada to grow rice and millets (like nanchani, Eleusine coracana) with traditional practices that don’t require the use of pesticides and chemical fertilisers.

This said, the sada itself is far more interesting for its biodiversity and culture.

The analysis of ecosystem services, in a study (to be peer-reviewed) by hydrogeologist Renie Thomas and hydrologist Divyanshu Pawar, revealed the villages in the sada have access to fresh water all year round even though they are located between dry, rocky open land and valleys of meandering saline creeks studded with mangroves. 

This was found to be due to the sada’s geology. The highly weathered lateritic soil layer on the top acts as a catchment for the rainwater and recharges the groundwater.

The communities here have access to freshwater through open step or dug wells, springs, and perennial streams that are conserved and maintained as part of rituals the locals have dedicated to deities. These observances also involve community rules  regarding the residents’ hygiene and the cleanliness of the natural commons.

(The area is also host to works of art called geoglyphs, dated to roughly 10,000 years ago.)

These water bodies have also become habitats for freshwater turtles such as the vulnerable Indian flapshell turtle (Lissemys punctata) as well as water sources for leopards, jackals, hyenas, barking deer, and migratory birds, among others.

The land-use patterns of this region are changing. The open land and some of the croplands are increasingly being converted to orchards or residential areas, with various developmental projects set to come up. Mining for laterite stones is another threat.

The fact that the sada is also classified as a ‘wasteland’ in the Wasteland Atlas makes matters worse.

Manali Rane is a scientific officer with the Bombay Environmental Action Group.

Published - January 14, 2025 05:30 am IST