Of Destruction and Demographic Effects

As usual, so many different things occur in this vast nation of ours that by the time one begins to write a fortnightly column, it becomes tough at times to choose from the various issues and aspects considering their significance. However, there are two developments that are striking especially for Uttarakhand. The first of these two is the floods and resulting devastation in Kerala.

Since much has been spoken on this disaster in the media, I will refrain from elaborating on the Kerala floods. Suffice it to say that ecologist Madhav Gadgil who had led the Western Ghats Ecology Expert Panel has stated that the floods are a result of human actions like illegal quarrying, construction on riverbeds and neglect of ecological sensitivity of the Western Ghats. The Gadgil committee report submitted about seven years ago had recommended a complete prohibition of mining, construction activities and use of land for non-forest purposes. As is often seen in such cases, the report of the committee was dumped by the policy makers- the consequences of which are and will be suffered in Kerala for some time.

Here, in the State of Uttarakhand-highly vulnerable to earthquakes, landslides and other disaster scenarios, environmentalists, activists and some concerned citizens have been expressing apprehensions for many years regarding the validity and impact of human activities being facilitated in the name of ‘development’—the construction of large dams and all-weather road project being examples of such works.

Those in the establishment too have been expressing their concern about the environment though they also state that the environment in Uttarakhand is in very good health. Some even go to the extent of alleging that talk of damage to the environment and resulting devastation is hullabaloo raised by activists and the NGO lobby to elicit funds from rich sponsors and jeopardise progress. However, such allegations seem hollow to someone who has been living in the mountainous or even the plain regions of the State for even a decade. Changes have been taking place in a manner that bodes ill for the State and beyond. For example, the provisional State capital Dehradun decades ago had a network of nalas and ponds which provided an effective and natural storm water drainage system that also recharged the ground water.

Most of this network has been filled to enable constructions resulting in frequent water logging during the rains and water shortage later on. It would be incorrect to state that ‘riverside’ areas experience flooding as years ago these areas were actually part of the river’s channel or banks where construction should never have been allowed to narrow rivers into suffocated rivulets.

As usual, the authorities claim to take cognisance of such aspects and public representatives talk of the pros and cons while at the same time facilitating major expenditure on works that do little to provide a long term viable solution to the problem.

The second development that elicited considerable attention and public anger was the rape and murder of a minor in Uttarkashi district some days ago. Initially, the locals suspected migrant labourers of carrying out the heinous crime though later a local was arrested by the police and booked for the rape and murder.

Though a local may be the accused in this crime, there are various other crimes including murder which have been committed by those who are not native to the State. The intention here is not to stereotype an entire community based on crimes committed by some of its members.

Apart from the Rohingyas an MLA had alleged are living illegally in the State, we are all Indians governed by the constitution so there is nothing wrong with citizens from anywhere in India settling in Uttarakhand for different reasons.

In fact, historians state that the ancestors of many of those who have been Garhwali or Kumaoni for several generations had migrated to what is now Uttarakhand centuries ago due to various reasons including religious persecution in parts of the nation they originated from. Others too arrived here during the partition of India, creation of Bangladesh and later but in recent years, the increased migration of natives away from the mountainous and rural regions combined with arrival of people from other parts of India to Uttarakhand has been creating varied issues. The demographic changes have influenced the economic, cultural and societal aspects apart from exerting a marked impact on the law and order situation in the State.

The use of natural and Governmental resources has also been influenced by such changes. A few groups have been either murmuring or hollering against such changes but are rejected as divisive. The focus of successive State Governments has been on remaining politically correct, ignoring and even encouraging changes that may not necessarily bode well for the State in the not so distant future.

Both disaster and demographic changes are sensitive issues which doesn’t mean that they should be ignored. Whereas the usual talk of development being vital is heard in response to concern about environmental damage which may have disastrous consequences, democratic rights and political motives garbed in political correctness are expressed when impacts of demographic changes are questioned. Development may be important but achieving it in a manner that is not destructive is essential.

Similarly, citizens have equal rights and duties but this does not mean that the rich native culture and related aspects should be allowed to be pockmarked by cultural perversions and eventually be replaced by what is touted –often wrongly- as ‘progressive’ culture. In both these issues and other issues too, the Government alone is incapable of doing the needful unless it and the people confront and acknowledge uncomfortable facts and do or demand the needful.

The scope for such  development might seem impossible from cities like Dehradun where a sliver of the native culture remains in a society increasingly composed of individuals and families disconnected from the public, mostly seeking contentment solely in being more ‘well off’.

As in the past, one hopes that much needed action on sensitive issues will elicit efforts after people in the mountainous regions–many of them feeling disenchanted-can take it no more.