Events & Issues
New
Delhi, 28 July 2014
Uttarakhand
Floods
THE GODS
ARE ANGRY
By Proloy
Bagchi
The pilgrimage to Badrinath and
Kedarnath as also to what is known as “Chaar
Dhaam yatra” has come to a halt on account of heavy incessant rains, both
in the Shivaliks and the Himalayas. Consequently, there have been floods and
landslides; the roads are blocked and the pilgrims in thousands are stranded at
various places on the way up to more than 10,000 ft. high Badrinath and more
than 11,500 ft high Kedarnath.
This is the second successive year
when bad weather has played havoc with the Badri-Kedar and “Chaar Dham” (Gods’
four abodes) pilgrimages. Despite the massive tragedy that occurred last year
the intrepid pilgrims in fairly large numbers ventured out on the difficult and
dangerous pilgrimage. Many who were washed away last year in the floods during
their journey, from their hotels and guest houses or even the homes, which
collapsed under the incredible force of waters tumbling down the steep
mountainous valleys are still untraceable.
The Holy Temples were severely
damaged, the river valleys and their banks were ravaged by the gushing waters
bringing down debris with the inhabitants of the area losing their houses,
sources of livelihood such as cultivable lands and cattle and even their
bread-winners. The State of Uttarakhand
was an absolute wreck, so much so that the devastating floods and attendant
havoc were even featured in a documentary in the National Geographic channel.
The major disaster invited the
attention of the Supreme Court which suo moto took up the matter and later
directed the Ministry of Environment and Forests to appoint an Expert Body to
look into the reasons for the deluge that wrecked the State. The Ministry
appointed an 11-member committee under Dr Ravi Chopra, Director of the
non-profit People’s Science Institute and Managing Trustee of the Himalayan
Foundation. Chopra’s report was submitted in April last to the Apex Court holding
that multiple hydropower projects under construction in the State were largely
the cause for the catastrophe.
The general consensus among a
majority of members of the committee was that there is adequate scientific
evidence to prove that multiple hydropower projects in the same river basin
aggravated damage to the surroundings. As many as 24 projects were being worked
on with dams descending down at various elevations from more than 6000 ft at an
interval of a little more than a kilometre.
Dr. Bharat Jhunjhunwala, a scientist
and a freelance columnist has reported that the real cause of the disaster was
use of dynamite to cut and puncture the hills for making roads and tunnels for
hydropower projects. This, coupled with
the concomitant deforestation, loosened the topsoil that flowed downward with
the heavy downpour instead of allowing the rainwater to seep underground. The
sides of the mountains, with trees and shrubs, flowed along only to be
obstructed by succeeding barrages, leading to accumulation of water that formed
reservoirs, building up pressure to break down obstructions such as vital
connecting bridges stranding the pilgrims.
The muck, apparently, a collection
of excavated earth for tunnelling and other waste carelessly stacked up on the
riversides by companies executing the power projects, was washed away by the
gushing waters raising the level of the river beds of Mandakini and Alaknanda
causing floods and devastation to the roads and habitations alike on both
banks. Jhunjhunwala also feels that there is overwhelming evidence to show that
the disaster was caused by human activities, especially hydropower projects.
The Chopra Committee has reportedly recommended axing of 23 out of 24 power
projects in the area.
The other human activity -- unregulated
tourism, made no mean contribution towards the disaster last year. A report stated
that, according to State government records, the numbers of pilgrims have
registered a 300% rise during the past decade of 2001 to 2011. From 1.11 crore
(1 billion) it has risen to 3.11crore (3 billion) and was expected to double by
2017. The infrastructure to cater to the rising numbers has developed but only
very tardily, and as is the wont of the governments, in an unregulated manner.
Roads were widened cutting the
hill-sides to allow for the exponentially risen traffic. Necessarily, large
tracts of forests had to be felled with the same eventuality as occurred for
building of hydropower projects. According to another news report,
“Construction on the pilgrim route grew organically and with successive State
governments providing limited public infrastructure, people in the region built
up (mostly illegally) the cheapest and quickest motels, restaurants and
roadside kiosks to benefit from the growing number of tourists.” Apparently,
the State Government ignored the findings of its own studies and continues to
do so, drawing hardly any lessons from the tragedy.
If the floods, landslides and
breaches took place because of the hydropower projects the immense loss of life
was caused by the unregulated tourism. No wonder, the State Government was
paralysed and later Chief Minister Vijay Bahuguna lost his job. But he could
have done precious little as it was a man-made calamity of massive proportions
for which, despite being in possession of adequate information, his Government
was caught totally unprepared. It was only other agencies such as the men of
the defence forces, NGOs and other social organizations that helped in rescue
and recovery of men and material. The local inhabitants displaced from their
moorings, in many cases, are yet to be rehabilitated.
And, yet earlier this year the Government
was ready with the plans of commencing the “Yatra” (pilgrimage). It could not
possibly have waited as religious tourism has remained for many years the
mainstay for the wellbeing of the people in the “spiritually rich State”. The
economy of the State seemingly was heavily dependent on the influx of pilgrims
during the annual pilgrimage. Curbing or restricting the tourist traffic is a
political hot potato which no political party is prepared to enforce. After
all, politicians’ votes are directly dependent on it. So, the more the number
of pilgrims, happier the people of the State would be – regardless of the
prospects of deaths and devastation.
Chasing to achieve the 14-odd GW
hydropower potential and allowing unrestrained tourism that let in hordes of
neo-rich, the Uttarakhand Government, treading the dangerous path of self
destruction, unwittingly mounted an unsustainable assault on the young
mountains. Beckoned by the prospects of prosperity and unending flow of votes,
the politicians became oblivious of the power of Nature and that it could
strike back, as it did in the summer of 2013.
Being the “Spiritually Rich State”,
its keepers should realise that the Gods are angry for the scarring, denudation
and mutilation of their creation, the Himalayas,
and that they are fed up with the faux piety of the hordes of neo-rich. The
message seems to be clear and needs to be heeded: Gods desire peace and
tranquillity to once again rein in their lofty abodes. Restraint should be the
watchword for us mortals. ---INFA
(Copyright,
India News and Feature Alliance)
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