Dr John Mohan Razu
The planet we live – the earth is bountiful and grandeurs. It is so well intrinsically blended in such ways that we see the connectivity and inter-connectivity within and between each another. Long ago, way back in 1851, Seattle, chief of the Suquamish tribe around Washington’s Puget Sound, is believed to have delivered what many still consider to be one of the most profound integrational notably environmental statements uttered by Homo sapiens. He explained the intricate and delicate webbing of the planet earth posits the inter-dependency of each other.
Responding to a proposed treaty under which his tribe was persuaded to sell acres of land to the colonizers. Seattle wrote to the US president that all things are connected: “How can you buy or sell the sky, the warmth of the land? If we do not own the freshness of the air and the sparkle of the water, how can you buy them? Every part of this earth is sacred … Every shining pine needle, every sandy shore, every mist in the dark woods, every clearing and humming insect is holy.” A profound and wise text from a person said out of his organific wisdom.
Eventually his land was gone. Likewise, many said similar things, but the Homo sapiens have not listened to them nor cared about those utterances. In the name of ‘development’, ‘progress’ and ‘growth’ went ahead in their own ways. Breaking mountains, excavating earth, digging tunnels, building skyscrapers, converting ponds, lakes and reservoirs continues unabatedly to satiate humans’ unlimited ‘wants’ and growing comforts. Explorations of many fronts that concerns meddling with nature and Mother Earth continues without any pause.
Having archived the desired results — ‘limitless growth’ in per capita income, GDP, GNP and many others,we are not satisfied and so aspiring for more and more. While reminiscing Anand Soodas “ … just as the natural springs – dhara in Nepali – are gone from Darjeeling. As a kid growing up in Kurseong, one of the joys of summer was to scamper up the rocks of steep streams – Khola – find a dhara and take a bath. You could drink that water: On the road up to the hills from the plains of Siliguri, dharas dotted the mountain side. They flowed like liquid pearls. They have all but dried up. In their place are shops, concrete houses, hotels – thousands of them – and parking lots. There were few cars in Kurseong in the ‘80s. Many would remember the registration number of each other’s gaari, simple four digits …”
He continues “After years, 2022 October, when I visited Darjeeling, in time for Dashain, I saw that the place was practically under the wheels of vehicles. It was a horrifying sight. The young driver who ferried us around had an explanation. “People go out, send money home, where do we invest? In taxis and hotels. Easy. People retire, where do they put their savings? Taxis and hotels.”What’s happening in Joshimath must be a wake-up call for all us. Evaluation of residents from most part of Joshimath which is cracking from all sides and sinking will have to be construed as a national wake-up call. It does not stop at Joshimath, but cuts across
In conjunction to Joshimath, one of Uttarakhand’s most noted environmentalists, Ani Joshi. said that “We need to learn from the experience of Joshimath. A scientific study of hills towns is needed. What’s the carrying capacity ….There is a limit for each town and we need to keep it in mind.” In Joshimath as houses burst out in cracks, residents say that with an aquifer breaching, the mountains are falls on the head and water is lapping at their feet” The capacity that it holds multiplied into multiple times. In 20222, close to 5 crores tourists, 4 crores Kanwar yatris and 45 lakh Char Dham pilgrims went to ray at the Char Dham shines. A few years ago, in 2017, it was half at 24 lakh devotees. Joshimath is sinking and cracking on all sides.
The happenings in India as well as across the globe – be it in plain landscapes, coastal areas and mountainous terrains in India and across the globe show the consequential impact of the ‘growth’ or ‘modernization’ paradigm. Our notions of ‘progress’ and ‘prosperity’ are glued towards a kind of propensity to accrue more and more. These conceptions have triggered andthus leveraged to acquire more and more forgetting the ‘cost’ in return the Homo sapiens to pay. These conceptions fall within the broader umbrella of ‘development’ which happens to be the driving force of many leaders and governments of the day.
‘Development’ per se is an elusive term. It prompts us to enter into serious introspection. For example, is it possible to drive tanks on bridges made of bamboos? The hills are not supposed to be burdened with such huge war machines. Those who go to Kedarnath and Badrinath on pilgrimage located on high altitudes of Himalayas throw garbage at an average 10,000 kgs a day. A supervisor of the cleanliness drive at Kedarnath said that “We’re digging seven-feet deep pits and burying biscuit packets and tobacco wrappers near Gaurikund.” Much of the filth was thrown directly into rivers like Ganga and Alakanda. Some flung even dead ponies and horses in the “holy” waters.
A swathe, experts say, falls on the Main Central Thrust, a major geological fault. It is built over moraine – paraglacial sediment – and is one of the most fragile segments of the Third Pole, parts of which are the Himalayas. Any construction needs considerable thought.”The hilly and mountainous landscapes such as Northeast and other regions must seriously ponder over as against the dominant ‘development paradigm’ that involves bursting the rocks with dynamites and bombs for laying roads and rails and construction of mega projects. Joshimath is a classic case that reminds us that hills and mountains have their intricate and closely knitted structure which tears apart when rocks get blasted and so caves in by ways of mud-slides and water oozing through the pebbles and rocks.
Do we need train to Sikkim and flyovers to Shimaa? How fast do we want to travel? People of Sikkim are averse of the railway project who think that their life be changed forever – not for the best, but for the worst. The Sevoke-Rangpo line, according to the villagers will have detrimental cand devastating consequences. Due to this project,water level table will go down leading to the severity of drinking water crisis in Darjeeling. Because of heavy blasts of the rocks there will be more landslides hitherto be experienced. More importantly, the stretch that leads to Gangtok and beyond since is proven to be quake-prone will further aggravate the settings more. Nevertheless, politicians, bureaucrats and beneficiaries of the project say that it would connect Sikkim with India’s railway network which would boost economy and connectivity to other parts of India.
Reports kept warning the governments during the last four decades pointing out to numerous flaws thus leading to serious repercussions which the governments had failed to address. All these factors should spur GOI to decide between people and profit; between unlimited growth or sustainable development. India ranked fifth in the Global Climate Risk Index in 2020, which makes the country among the more vulnerable nations. We are therefore expected to recognize the very fact that event part and facet of our planet is inter-connected and thus integrated. Do not see them as parts because all parts belong to the whole. As Willima Nordhaus forthrightly points out that “Scientists are concerned about “tipping points” in the earth’s systems. These involve processes in which sudden or irreversible changes occur as systems cross thresholds.” Joshimath shows the cracks in India’s development narrative.
