Veteran environmentalist Chandi Prasad Bhatt warned the State Government against trifling with nature in the name of development. “Nature is above all technologies,” he said, adding that the State Government is yet to firm up an effective policy to enforce the basic environmental guidelines. He was in Haridwar on Wednesday on the occasion of Himalaya Day. He addressed a press meet organised by Press Club Haridwar. He planted a sapling in the premises of the Press Club too to mark the occasion.
Notably, he received Magsaysay Award in 1983 aside from Padam Bhusan in 2005 for his monumental work in the field of environment and conservation. Besides, he has been bestowed with Gandhi Shanti Award and UNEP Award by United Nations. While sharing his varied experiences with the media persons here, the 83-year-old environmentalist said he had started work in his native village at Gopeshwar which is the district headquarters of Chamoli district in 1970s. “My obsession was from the beginning with the protection of trees. Trees figure prominently in our lives as we, for generations, have been living under their benign shadows,” he said.
Taking a dig at the concept of development now in vogue, he said it has been leaving perilous impact on the Himalayas with the natural ecosystem being snapped. “Things have come to such a sorry pass with superficial development becoming the craze of the day that the mighty Himalayas are being trashed with. Hill slopes are being disfigured and river catchment areas are being exploited for things which have nothing to do with the holistic concept of development. Resultantly, the meteorological cycle and climatic condition of adjoining five countries is being disturbed with disastrous consequences being kept in store for all,” he said.
Queried over the Namami Gange mission, he said to make the mission successful, two important points – provisions to increase water level of Ganga and greenery across the basin of the river to maintain the ecosystem- must be kept in view by the concerned ministry.
He referred to the retreat of 110 glaciers at Gaumukh (supposed to be the starting point of Ganga) as found by the scientists to buttress his point. “Things are truly alarming,” he warned.
Asked how he view tourists visiting the hills, Bhatt said they should refrain from casually plucking flowers. “This is adversely impacting the ecosystem of the Himalayan regions,” he said.
Asked over whether the laws enacted so far are proving effective to conserve nature, he said Uttarakhand still lacks a credible environmental roadmap.
“The sooner they rise up to ocasion the better for the state as well as for the people living in the Himalayan region. Cavalier approach and palliatives would not do,” the celebrated environmentalist opined.