Its been over a week since the deadly floods in the upper reaches of the Himalayas in Uttarakhand. Thousands are still missing, over a thousand are dead, which is a gross under-estimation, and many thousands are homeless or stranded far away from their homes in the rest of the country.
As with most natural calamities in the country, the civilian systems of delivery and governance proved entirely inadequate and capable of handling the calamity, and as in most occasions, the Army and paramilitary were called in who got to work, and did a far better job in a single day than the entire time before that in which the state machinery tried to get into gear without resources, without leadership, and without a plan.
Uttarakhand is a changed place, and nowhere is it more visible than its capital, Dehradun. What used to be a sleepy, lush green town known for its schools and litchi orchards, considered a haven for retirement, is an overcrowded cesspool of crass construction, haphazard planning, deforestation, and way too much money. The place is full of vehicles, has very little parking space, its civic infrastructure is creaking, and its fast losing its green cover as the orchards and fruit trees make way for more houses and apartments. 20 years ago, I would have never thought that a place like Dehradun would have high rise buildings. Now there are plenty, and plenty more coming up.
That has exactly been the attitude of people with money, and people in power. Where it can be built, it will be built, where it can be encroached, it will be encroached, where rules can be flouted, they will be flouted.
When you build a dam, of any kind, at the mouth of the river, you are hurting the natural flow of water no matter how many tunnels you blast into the mountain, which again is a huge environmental crime in itself. The upper tributaries of the Ganges, Mandakini and Alaknanda, have hundreds of small dams within a few kilometers of each other, each requiring diversion of the river, and tunnel blasting into the mountains. when the rains come pouring down, and the excess water has nowhere to run, you are telling me these dams don't play a role?
The deaths in Uttarakhand are probably a lot higher because a lot of them were staying in the many hundreds of illegal and very unsafely built hotels and lodges that dot each and every small town up there. They were built so close to the river that when the high waters came, they stood no chance. Despite rules, despite warnings, no environmental code was adhered to.
I think the fact that no environmental code was adhered to has a lot to do with the Indian psyche, which I think has become very urban, very middle class, and very, very materialistic. Unfortunately we measure everything with affluence and comfort now, and sustainability, which used to a hallmark of the Indian way of life and the Indian approach to the environment, have lost all meaning. The Government, the environmentalists can cry themselves to sleep but I think the Indian bourgeoisie is simply not capable of understanding what they are saying. If there is money to be earned and spent on comforts, the Indian middle class stops listening to anything else.
A few years ago, there was a festival being celebrated in Dehradun, and the well meaning religious volunteers were distributing some sweet drink to all passers by on a busy lane. Every scooter, cycle, bike or car was stopped and offered the drink. When it got over, that street was littered with plastic cups. The drains were full of empty plastic cups, and the good volunteers disappeared, expecting somebody else to come up and clean the mess, if at all. That is my point, I am sure it didn't even occur to anybody over there that this is called littering and its inappropriate and it needs to be cleared up.
This ignorance must, must be addressed, and the government, oh yes the Government, must consider introducing civic sense lessons to our children at a very early age. I have seen enough fat children feeding themselves and littering because their parents are too ignorant to even know the difference, and there is no body else to tell them that.
I do not doubt for once that the commercial exploitation that humans do when they grow up probably has its roots in this lack of sensitization towards the environment. Of course by then everybody starts recognizing and craving the smell of money.
I am in the sustainability domain, and yes, I know the value of money, yes I am working towards more of it, and yes everybody thinks I'm a social worker, but this is exactly what it is. Products can be consumed, food can be had, experiences can be experienced, things can be manufactured, in a sustainable way, in a way that it does not permanently harm our ability to continue doing it.
The mountains of Uttarakhand have seen a lot of exploitation in very little time, and I have no doubt that we will go back to where things were once the rescue operations are over. Hotels will still be built, politicians will still scratch the backs of investors and pilgrims will still throng the mountains and litter to their hearts content. Its a vicious cycle and we'll be none the wiser.
The Army will go back to its barracks, the Government of India will continue its efforts to push India to the brink of economic ruin to stay in power, and the God fearing Hindu, well, will continue to visit temples, litter all around it, and pray to God for money and richness.
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| This was one of my favorite idols of Shiva. I hear its gone now. |
