Stop Building Roads
By Shivaji Sarkar
If we want to save the country from Himalayan disaster, prevent desertification of the Ganga valley and progress, then the only remedy available is to thaw all road, infra and construction activities for some time. The recent devastating floods, landslides, mudslides in Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand and the drowning of large tracts of Delhi because of dam overflows for the first time in 45 years, is unprecedented and experts say these are natural outcome of three factors: climate crisis, a young mountain range and mindless infrastructure projects.
This year’s devastation has been precipitated by intense constructions like road widening, dam construction and other poorly-planned activities, which have clearly weakened the hill slopes and triggered major landslides. Crucial road links such as between Kalka and Shimla, Kullu and Manali, Chandigarh and Manali, Manali and Leh, Dehradun and Haridwar, have been disrupted as roads caved in or landslides occurred. A total of 170 routes had to be closed in Uttarakhand alone. Officially 108 died in Himachal Pradesh and 90 in Uttarkahand even as Joshimath problems continue.
According to SBI’s research report, Ecowrap, the economic loss of the floods is estimated to be in the range of Rs 10,000-15,000 crore. The report stated that the heavy toll of these floods, as well as natural disasters as the Biparjoy cyclone is a matter of grave concern for the country and added that locational and geographical features make the country vulnerable to a number of natural hazards.
In both Himachal and Uttarakhand, it is visible that blasting of the hills has changed the hydro flow pattern that winded through the forests and myriad hilly tracks. The rainwater earlier used to replenish the aquifers and would flow through hundreds of natural paths. Having now destroyed this naturality, it instead flows straight down the pucca, often concretised roads, which turn into massive artificial drains with logs and boulders rolling down. This as when the roads were built, trees were felled, which could not be sold. Instead, these were dumped under the roads, dislodged with heavy rain and eventually dangerously flowed through the habitats.
All this calls for an immediate thaw of all road and other so-called developmental, infra projects for at least a year to save the country. Jawaharlal Nehru University physicist Dr Vikram Soni who has closely studied the river systems of North India, told a researcher that he repeatedly emphasised the need to completely ban construction on the flood plains. “The Sutlej and Beas have wreaked so much havoc because indiscriminate construction was allowed on their flood plains. During the monsoon, when the river flow increases, so does its velocity. The situation is worsened with the dumping of debris and other muck from road construction.”
Sadly, the government was unwilling to even hear or consider this view. Dr Ravi Chopra, Director of the People’s Science Institute, and Chairman of Supreme Court’s high-powered committee on Char Dham road has realised that the government machinery, comprising the National Highway Authority of India (NHAI) and the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways, and their bureaucrats, engineers and contractors, were simply not interested in his suggestions and chose to ignore.
According to the Landslide Atlas of India prepared by the National Remote Sensing Centre, ISRO, all 12 districts of Himachal Pradesh are susceptible to landslides. These also have the maximum construction activities. However, earlier a different pattern was followed for hill constructions. Now tall concrete constructions are the most susceptible!
The landslide exposure analysis carried out in the mountainous areas covering 147 districts in 17 States has ranked Mandi district of Himachal Pradesh at the 16th place, followed by Hamirpur 25, Bilaspur 30, Chamba 32 , Solan 37, Kinnaur 46, Kullu 57 Shimla 61, Kangra 62, Una 70, Sirmaur 88 and Lahaul and Spiti 126 in socio-economic parameter risk exposure map.
The country undeniably lives crisis to crisis. India is learning since 2013, but more it learns more is the disaster. The scale of disasters in the hilly regions have multiplied with the creation of smaller States like Uttarakhand. Checks and balances that a larger Uttar Pradesh ensured have been thrown to the winds. UP was blamed for neglecting the region, but nobody talked of how it prevented major disasters. Construction activities, building and real estate greed have been yet another major setback.
Scientists at the Wadia Institute of Himalayan Geology have repeatedly warned that 51 per cent of Uttarakhand has crossed the “very high susceptibility zone”. Therefore, landslides will increase, as will flooding. These scientists have documented Uttarakhand’s 300-plus landslides in 2023. In such a situation, even mitigation measures will not work.
In Uttarakhand, the railway tunnel to Karnaprayag is a disaster. Not only has it not weakened the hill structurebut has devastated the aquifers too that used to feed the various water bodies and natural falls causing severe water scarcity in the villages. The greed may cause the entire Ganga Valley to turn into a desert. It is time the word development be replaced with the 100-year-old improvement concept that the Britishers used.
Everybody can now see how methodical the colonial rulers were. Their ecologically crafted roads exist till today without damaging the Himalayan ecology. A stark replica of that is seen in the India Gate Central Vista. During rains Delhiites used to throng the Boat Club lawns. It never submerged. But now the redone lawns submerge, and many would quip it’s an engineering feat indeed!
Most devastations are along the roads and riverside, which were encroached upon for the convenience of driving vehicles and real estate activity to boost irrational tourism. How much is lost nobody can estimate. It will be mere guesses. The obvious is that the spree of investment since the Himalayan char dham roads has literally gone down the rivers. Innumerable bridges and culverts, resorts, townships and vehicles have been washed away. Himalayan warnings are grim and a reality. If not heard even now, a sub-continental disaster may be an epochal reality. — INFA