Message from the mountains – Himachal, Uttarakhand must check construction projects

Source: The post is based on the article “Message from the mountains – Himachal, Uttarakhand must check construction projects” published in Business Standard on 18^th August 2023.

Syllabus: GS 3 – Disaster Management

Relevance: reasons behind natural calamities in Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand

News: The recent death in Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand due to natural calamities have raised concerns over the state government’s decision to prioritize tourism revenue over the environment.

What are the reasons behind natural calamities in both states?

First, both states are experiencing serious issues due to increased deforestation, which weakens the mountains and increases the risk of landslides.

Second, roads and tunnels are being constructed without considering the mountain terrain, making it even more unstable in an earthquake-prone area.

Third, waste dumped in rivers is worsening flood threats during heavy rains.

Fourth, hydroelectric dams, instead of controlling the floods, are contributing to flooding because operators haven’t adjusted to climate change and unusual melting of ice on the mountains.

Fifth, the congested and poorly planned building construction is happening without considering proper systems for draining water and managing waste.

Sixth, the state administrations did not learn from the previous disasters of 2013 and continued construction in the ecological fragile regions to boost tourism.

Seventh, ecologists have also raised concerns about the Center’s Char Dham Yatra project, which aims to expand roads to the pilgrimage sites of Badrinath, Kedarnath, Gangotri, and Yamunotri in mountainous areas.

Eighth, over 50,000 trees were cut to build a new highway between Delhi and Dehradun, which passes through an elephant and tiger sanctuary, to reduce travel time. Parts of these constructions collapsed during heavy rainfall.

Must Read: Express View on Himachal Pradesh tragedy: A slippery slope and Himachal floods: a man-made disaster?

What lies ahead?

Both states heavily rely on tourism revenue. However, they are now dealing with great losses. Hence, it is important for both the states to learn from such calamities and focus on sustainable development.