Admittedly, the Global warming is a scientific fact, a reality we cannot undo the CO2 emission that is globally affecting Mother Earth (Gaia).
But, the advanced engineering is available to plan better management of natural resources. Critical examination of development policy is necessary assuring bio-security for future generations,” said Dr Dhirendra Sharma, Scientist, Centre for Science Policy on ‘lessons from the 2013 Uttarakhand Disaster’ being organised by Rural litigation and Entitlement Kendra (RlEK) in Dehradun.
Dr Sharma quoted, “Padma Bhushan Dr KS Valdiya, a great geologist of Himalaya”, observed that there are some 5,300 glaciers and more than 1,000 lakes in the third Pole Himalaya. That had evolved ‘as a consequence of collision of the Asian and Indian continents. Persistent convergence of the northward-drifting India with Asia caused the successive breaking up of the northern front of the Indian plate by deep faults and attendant uplift of the deformed rock-piles. The continuing activity of the Himalayan thrusts and faults... the Indian continent persistently pushes northwards at the rate of 5 cm a year, (thus) the Himalayan faults remain tectonically and seismically active.”
Adviser to Uttarakhand CM, Indu Kumar Pandey, said that the landslides in and round the hydropower project are due to local residents and not due to the project. These projects neither have any impact on glaciers or any flora or fauna. Thus not having hydropower plant in the State will affect very adversely to the State. He shared these information based on the data available in cumulative assessment report. The people of the State will have no livelihood prospects for the youth, the only option will be left for them would be migration.
“We are discussing at a higher level but we should learn from our experiences and we should realise that we are not at all prepared to mitigate disaster in our homes or villages, we did not even have ropes to save our near and dear ones. We must respect the traditional wisdom of the hill people and learn from the old belief of the villagers who in the name of deity have a scientific notion behind their belief. Charabari tal should be treated scientifically so that such disasters should be prevented in future and construction of electric crematorium should be planned in order to avoid further degradation of environment” said Ms. Shaila Rani Rawat, MlA, Kedarnath.
RlEK chairperson Avdhash Kaushal announced that this was the first of the series of consultation meet. The second meet will be held in Guptkashi in the last week of October or first week of November 2013.