The havoc caused by incessant rains appears to have justified the demand for establishing eco-sensitive zones in susceptible areas like the course of the Bhagirathi river from Gaumukh to Uttarakashi which has once again suffered major damage.
Kedarnath and its surrounding areas have suffered greater damage with a greater number of pilgrims here with 20 deaths reported and 173 homes damaged of which 73 were destroyed.
Environmentalists and scientists point out that most of the damage caused by rains in Uttarakhand is a result of unplanned construction allowed in the name of development considering which the present situation is more of a man-made disaster than a
natural disaster.
Such haphazard construction would not have been possible had the area been part of the eco sensitive zone. The damage is greater and more people have been affected in the Chamoli and Rudraprayag districts as the number of pilgrims visiting the Badrinath and Kedarnath shrines in these districts respectively is higher and so is the number of unplanned constructions.
The forest department is drafting eco-sensitive zones around all national parks and wildlife sanctuaries in the State including the Gangotri national park and Kedarnath wildlife sanctuary.
Though on Tuesday the Government confirmed at least six deaths in various parts of Uttarkashi, the death toll is feared to be higher. At least 30 buildings have been damaged here. It may be recalled that similar destruction was witnessed last year in August when a cloudburst caused flash flood in this region.
At that time the Wadia Institute of Himalayan Geology (WIHG) director Anil Gupta had said that the institute had stated several times that buildings should not be constructed haphazardly but after taking into consideration factors like the gradient and buried channels of the river.
Hemant Dhyani of Ganga Ahvaan, which supports
formation of an eco-sensitive zone in Uttarkashi, said, “The rampant construction
especially the building of dams in Uttarakhand is akin to an attempt to change the DNA of this mountain State.
The destruction seen recently is a result of Nature’s response to the rampant
constructions being facilitated in the State.
The eco sensitive zone should be established as planned along the course and catchment area of the Bhagirathi from Gaumukh to Uttarkashi to prevent such destruction from being repeated,” he said, while adding that this will not hamper development but prevent haphazard constructions.
It is pertinent to mention here that during his recent visit to Dehradun, Union Rural Development minister Jairam Ramesh had also pointed out that it was wrong to assume that eco-sensitive zones would hamper development.
People must understand that regulated and permissible activity is allowed in eco sensitive zones, the minister had stressed. According to Uttarakhand Space Application Centre director Dr MM Kimothi, such destruction is inevitable when constructions are haphazard and development is unscientific.
“Studies were conducted in 2000 and 2001 by the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) along with institutions like WIHG and Central Building Research Institute among which showed the risk areas and landslide hazard zones in Uttarakhand. However, this little has been done with this vital information too has been lying unused.”
The damage wreaked annually during the monsoon in Uttarakhand has raised a big question mark on the rampant constructions being allowed by the Government in Uttarakhand.
Since the Government has not taken any steps to redress this anomaly, establishment of eco-sensitive zone in areas like Uttarkashi and Kedarnath will prevent disorganised constructions and mitigate the damage from natural disasters, aver scientists and environmentalists.