Uttarakhand tragedy, a man-imposed disaster: Bahuguna

Gandhian freedom fighter, Sunderlal Bahuguna, became a journalist and later turned into a full time activist working for a self-sustaining ecological model for the mountain state of Uttarakhand. He spearheaded the anti-Tehri dam movement and led Chipko movement aimed at protecting and regeneration of native species of trees.

The recent flash floods that ravaged Uttarakhand have given immense pain to an ailing 87 year old Bahuguna. In a freewheeling interview with Manan Kumar, Bahuguna and his equally deserving wife Vimla, spoke about environmental issues troubling Uttarakhand and possible solutions.

Q. How do you view the recent disaster? Was it a natural disaster or man-made?
It is a man-made disaster. When you try force change nature and its landscape, it gets back and punishes you. This was a land meant for meditation, but it has been turned into purely a tourist destination. The government and the big private money have brought in changes on a gigantic scale, totally unsuitable and detrimental for fragile ecosystem of the Himalayas. If the government wants to end this cycle of disasters it should ban excavations, big dams, and construction of roads in higher altitude and fragile regions. Dams on free flowing serpentine rivers are making the living water dead.

Q. But why construction of roads should be stopped? Will it not impact tourism based economy of Uttarakhand?
These mountains are highly sensitive even a little tinkering has a detrimental impact. Roads have done the maximum damage to the mountains. Roads should be constructed only the lower reaches and at the base of mountains, to travel upwards rope-ways should be constructed. This will help us save land which is our most valuable resource. Switzerland has done it beautifully. It has kept the beautiful natural landscape intact by constructing rope-ways instead of roads. Why cannot we learn from Switzerland and do the same here instead of defacing the mountains. Rope-ways has two advantages, one, it does not pollute and two, it does not cut into the mountains and make them fragile and landslide prone. Moreover, tourists got to the mountains to enjoy natural beauty but once lopsided development takes it away then how will you sustain tourism?

Q. Why despite becoming a state, Uttarakhand has failed to take care of its mountains?
Uttarakhand was made a state so that the government can witness the problems faced by people living in remote and difficult mountain areas. But the problem of the government (politicians and bureaucrats) is that it cannot climb mountains. Once I went to Kilsu, near Dodital, and found that no candidate had come there to canvas. I asked a village guy the reason? He said how you can expect these politicians to climb up that too on foot. The politicians and officials cannot go beyond Dehradun. It is place that has all the goodies – railway, airport and big bazaars. For them it is easier to go out but difficult to go up in the mountains. On the other hand, the native who were already suffering from back breaking work of walking with loads of weight wanted road connectivity.

Q. Why our mountains have become barren?
Besides the reason I have already stated, the British policy to plant pine at the cost of indigenous species of Baanjh, Burans and Deodar did a great harm to our mountains. The British wanted trees that could be grown fast, whose wood does not sink and gives good return. Pine suited this. This wrong policy was carried on by our government and people knowing well that pine erodes the soil and makes it saline.

Q. Why did Chipko movement aimed at protecting and regeneration of native species of trees could not sustain?
For the success of any movement you need continuity and increasing interest of the people. That unfortunately did not happen in the case of Chipko. If government and people can still adopt the two slogans given by Chipko, the situation can change. The slogans - Dharench Paani, take the water flowing in rivers to the mountain tops and Dhaal par Taal i.e. pant trees on the mountain slopes can ensure recovery of mountains while keeping the sustainable growth intact.