A Himalayan blunder in Uttarakhand

Uttarakhand ranks second among the states most affected by landslides in India, according to a report by ISRO’s National Remote Sensing Centre. In recent years, landslides have occurred in Uttarakhand not only during the monsoons but even in dry spells. Both summer and winter seasons have seen the closure of national highways, labelled ‘all-weather roads’.

This year, neither extreme rainfall nor cloudbursts have been recorded thus far. Despite that, the spate of recent landslides in Uttarakhand is cause for alarm and concern, as videos reveal. If this is the situation already, the question is: how much more severe might it get with heavier rainfall or extreme weather events, given that the state’s disaster management system operates on a contractual basis?

All the landslides in Uttarakhand so far have occurred on the national highway extensively dug up in recent years in the name of building ‘all-weather roads’, whether it’s the Langsi tunnel near Patal Ganga, the trenching ground near Joshimath, the road beyond Joshimath to Badrinath, or the Kedarnath road near Phata.

No incidents have occurred in the remote and landslide-prone areas of the state, most likely because of low rainfall. The problems along the so-called ‘all-weather roads’ are the direct result of the insistence on widening roads beyond reason or necessity. Renowned film director Sudarshan Juyal accurately describes this situation as “a permanent monument to madness”.

Rainfall data so far shows that six districts have received below-average rainfall. From 28 June, when the monsoon arrived in Uttarakhand, to the morning of 14 July, average rainfall has been 362.5 mm, only 3 per cent above normal. Dehradun, Pauri, Tehri, Haridwar, Rudraprayag and Uttarkashi districts have received below-normal rainfall. Tehri and Rudraprayag, which have been identified by the NRSC as among the country’s most landslide-prone districts, have also received less rainfall.

Other such districts include Rajouri, Pulwama, South Sikkim, East Sikkim, Thrissur, Palakkad and Kozhikode. From 1988 to 2022, Mizoram recorded the highest number of landslides at 12,385, followed by Uttarakhand with 11,219 incidents.

Geologists have consistently warned that excessive construction in the Himalayan region can be dangerous. The all-weather road project faced opposition from the start, but the Central government was adamant. Mountains were ruthlessly cut down in order to convert the existing roads leading to the Char Dham shrines into ‘all-weather roads’.

The consequences are there for all to see. Even with normal or below-normal rainfall, entire mountains are collapsing, causing the all-weather roads to close down for days. The Badrinath road has been the most affected recently, with the Kedarnath and Gangotri-Yamunotri highways also frequently closed, leaving pilgrims and locals stranded.

Thousands, for example, were stranded on the Badrinath highway, including polling parties for a by-election in the Badrinath Assembly segment, who had to be airlifted to the district headquarters in Gopeshwar. The Kedarnath road near Phata remained closed for two days, as did the Gangotri and Yamunotri routes. In Kumaon, the bridge connecting Ramnagar to Ranikhet was washed away, and roads in the hilly areas were closed for up to three days.

One report states that from the onset of the monsoon to 10 June, 245 roads were damaged in just 12 days. The worst-affected districts were Nainital and Champawat, with 38 and 35 roads closed, respectively. Chamoli also saw 35 roads closed, while Dehradun and Rudraprayag had 14 closures each, Uttarkashi 3, Bageshwar 19, Pithoragarh 28 (including 6 border roads), Almora 19, Pauri Garhwal 16 and Tehri 24.

During this period, 71 people died in road accidents and nine in other rain-related incidents. From 10-14 June, most of the state saw little to no rainfall, and no major road closures occurred. As of now, almost all the main roads have reopened. However, with the weather department predicting heavy rainfall in the coming days, there is every possibility of the situation worsening again.

Though officially renamed the Char Dham Mahamarg Vikas Pariyojana, Uttarakhand chief minister Pushkar Singh Dhami continues to refer to it as the all-weather road project. This has led to a farcical situation where Dhami makes grand claims about the road, even as it faces closures in multiple places, leaving thousands stranded. This has become a major liability for the state.

Many questions had been raised at the project’s inception, some of which reached the Supreme Court. The court formed a committee led by environmentalist Ravi Chopra to assess the project’s environmental impact. The BJP government did its best to influence this committee. Despite Chopra’s report being accepted by the Supreme Court, the Central government argued for the road’s strategic importance, and the destructive project was approved.

Matters reached such a head that Chopra resigned, along with several other members. Geologist S.P. Sati of the Uttarakhand Forestry and Horticulture Department says the mountains were unscientifically cut for the all-weather road, creating over 150 new ‘sliding zones’ from Rishikesh to Badrinath, and reactivating several old ones.

It seems the government has not learned from the Joshimath incident, where the largest number of landslides have occurred. A bypass is being constructed right below Joshimath, despite continued opposition from the Joshimath Bachao Sangharsh Samiti. Coordinator Atul Sati says the government is determined to destroy Joshimath. Not only has it persisted in a litany of lies about the causes of subsidence in Joshimath, no rehabilitation plan has been presented yet.

Youth campaigns to save the trees

In Uttarakhand, where various disasters strike almost all year round, too many trees have already been felled in the name of development projects. The most extensive felling has occurred in and around Dehradun. Fortunately, people are uniting and protesting against this rampant deforestation.

Organisations like MAD (Make a Difference), SDC (Social Development for Communities) Foundation, Waste Warriors, Dhaad and Parashakti are actively participating in these forest conservation movements led by Dehradun-based Citizens for Green Doon.

The most significant protests have taken place in Dehradun, where most of these projects are concentrated. The largest demonstration was held on 23 June, when thousands marched against the felling of over 200 trees on Cantonment Road, forcing the government to reverse its decision.

Similar protests were staged against the cutting of hundreds of trees for a water treatment plant in Khalanga near Dehradun, and on Canal Road for road-widening purposes. Both led to the government backing down. However, activists believe it is only a temporary reprieve.

The most notable feature of these movements to save the trees in Dehradun is the involvement of the youth. The Students’ Federation of India, led by Nitin Maletha, has played a crucial role in these protests.

Maletha says plans are in place to cut over 10,000 trees for the expansion of Dehradun airport, and says ‘youth power’ will not allow these trees to be cut under any circumstances. A proposed bypass from Jhajra to Mussoorie will also require cutting down dense forests.

Ravi Chopra, who is actively involved in these youth-led movements, says plans to cut an additional 40,000 trees must be opposed with full force.