Joshimath: Conflict between environment and development

The matter of grave concern is that whether it is the government is of UPA or NDA, they never give importance to the advice of environmentalists. In the name of the environment, ministry, NGT and international conferences are all there but just to fill the paper.

In Uttarakhand, in the city of Jyotirmath (Joshimath), the place of worship of Lord Shri Badrivishal ji in autumn and the place of penance of Adi Shankaracharya, earlier there were long cracks, which are getting deeper and longer day by day. According to scientists, experts, and religious people, haphazard ‘development’ and the increasing number of tourists every year can be attributed to this.

The town of Joshimath is situated 45 kilometers before Badrinath Dham, on the banks of the Alaknanda river, on a mountain with a steep slope. About 50,000 residents live here, including military cantonment and civilians. During the six months of summer, this number doubles due to tourists every year.

Visitors always come to Badrinath Dham. Along with this, tourists visiting the world-famous Auli also come here which is about 50 kilometers away from Badrinath. Auli can be reached by walking just 4 kms from Joshimath. That’s why most of the tourists going to Auli spend the night in Joshimath itself.

From here, to go to Badrinath Dham, one has to descend 12 kilometers downstream till Vishnu Prayag, the confluence of Vishnu Ganga and Alaknanda. Where the construction work of Vishnu Prayag Hydroelectric Project (JP Group) is going on. Because of which huge tunnels are being built for many years to generate electricity. Most of which have been done. These tunnels are said to be the main reason for cracks and fissures under Joshimath city. Because this tunnel is made only by exploding with gunpowder. Because of this, it is natural for cracks to appear in these mountains.

This work is being done for the last four decades in the entire Himalayas, especially in the Himalayan region of Garhwal and Kumaon. That’s why several hundred projects are going on here to generate electricity. Tunnels, roads and bridges have been constructed here indiscriminately and haphazardly in the divine Himalayas for several decades to generate electricity for the plains. Due to which the forest wealth here has also been reduced to half.

According to the information shared by Sandeep ji, a devotee of Ram associated with Ayodhya, by visiting Badri, Kedar, Yamunotri and Gangotri shrines located in Uttarakhand, a crowd of thirsty longing to get salvation in this very birth and newly rich people have fun in the mountains. There is a heavy burden on the natural resources of Because of which the entire Garhwal Himalayan region is rapidly getting destroyed.

While this deity is considered the most sacred region of the Himalayas. Whose geographical location is also described in detail in Skandha Purana. Here, at every step and at every turn, the ashrams and mythological shrines of our ancient sages and sages are situated. Innumerable holy rivers like Ganga and Yamuna have also emerged from these mountains.

All the previous governments, including the present BJP government, have exploited such a most sacred and beautiful green state, in spite of continuous opposition from environmentalists, for electricity generation and tourism. Due to which incidents like Kedarnath tragedy have happened and news of even more horrifying destruction will come in the future.

Because when a man commits a wide variety of crimes like consumption of eggs, meat, alcohol in the name of tourism in the Himalayas, the abode of gods, then the gods will definitely get angry.

Every year in summer, there is such a huge crowd of wanderers for Uttarakhand darshan and sightseeing that there is a long jam of vehicles in the mountains for many kilometers. Due to these tourists, the ecosystem of this place collapses. There is a flood of hotels and guest houses in every city and village for the increasing crowd.

For this reason, all the excreta and garbage of the tourists are dumped in innumerable holy rivers like the most holy Ganga, Yamuna and Alaknanda. Because of which Ganga is continuously getting dirtier and dirtier. The question is that the demand for electricity in the plains will continue to increase, so why should the mountains bear the brunt of it? For this, governments will have to explore many more options ahead. Why not develop a system of giving limited quantity of permits to the visitors like the holy Amarnath Dham of Kashmir Valley for the increasing crowd here too? Noting down the names and addresses of those going to Uttarakhand every summer in Rishikesh will not help. Rather, we all and the government will have to take care of the divine Himalayas strictly and in a virtuous spirit.

The most important thing in this matter is that the government should make a special long-term plan for the entire Himalayan region. In which special attention should be given to the experiences and advice of eminent environmentalists, engineers and scientists of the country. Only then the ecosystem of the Himalayas will be restored, otherwise incidents like the Kedarnath tragedy and the recent Joshimath will continue to come in a gruesome form.

According to Professor Dheeraj Mohan Banerjee, retired Professor from Delhi University and currently Emeritus Scientist of the Indian National Science Academy, “Many years ago the Geological Survey of India conducted an investigation. That report also speaks of how unstable this region is. Even if the government did not take scientists or academics seriously, at least it should have paid attention to the report of the Geological Survey of India. All the construction work being done in the name of haphazard ‘development’ in this area should be stopped.” The matter of concern is that whether the government is of UPA or NDA, it never gives importance to the advice of environmentalists. In the name of environment, ministry, NGT and international conference are all there to fill paper. Under the influence of corporate houses and to fulfill their lust, all the rules and regulations are put on hold. Be it mountains, forests, rivers or coastal regions of the sea, this orgy of destruction is going on everywhere. The proposed widening of the roads connecting the Char Dham of Uttarakhand, initiated by the Modi government, will bring even worse tragedy in the future. But will anyone listen? The gods themselves are the ones who save us from the wrath of the gods. Being pleased with our sadhna, He gives us a lot and also takes a lot when he gets angry. The pain of devotees like Sandeep ji, scientists like Professor Banerjee, geographers and all the residents of Joshimath is the pain of all of us. Therefore, in such a crisis, everyone should unite and find a solution to this problem.