Water seeks its own level. It is a mighty leveller. The catastrophe in the Himalayan region was waiting to happen. It was a result of rampant deforestation, unchecked construction work and large-scale building of big dams.
The excessive rainfall in the hill states of Uttarakhand and Himachal Pradesh is just an excuse. The massive loss of human lives and property and the sufferings in the wake of flash floods and massive landslides can be attributed to man’s excesses and follies. Village after village and long stretches of roads have been devoured by the gurgling waters of the turbulent Mandakini and Alaknanda rivers, so much so that even prominent land marks have been obliterated due to nature’s fury.
Te problem of poor soil stability on the steep slopes in the fragile region has been compounded by man-made factors like indiscriminate deforestation and mindless construction. Hundreds of buildings along the banks of the Alaknanda and the Bhagirathi have been swept away in Rudraprayag district alone. Downstream, the Ganga, the Yamuna and other rivers have reached levels not seen in years, posing difficulties even in the national capital of Delhi.
Environmentalist point out that a 2011 notification to declare as eco-sensitive a zone extending to a distance of 130 km from Gomukh where the Alaknanda begins, up to Uttarkashi, remains unenforced to this day. caused by the construction of hydel projects along the Bhagirathi and the Alaknanda. It had also voiced anguish over the failure of the administration to plant enough trees to mitigate risks arising out of soil degradation.
Environment safety norms have been repeatedly flouted. The National Green Tribunal order for demolishing all illegal constructions on the flood plains and river beds of certain rivers has remained a cry in the wilderness because of unbridled urbanization in ecologically fragile areas.
There is little doubt that the present Himalayan disaster has been triggered by natural events, but the catastrophe is man-made. There is ample scientific evidence that the Himalayan watersheds have witnessed unprecedented deforestation over a long period. Deforestation as a commercial activity began during the British Raj and has continued unabated after Independence. While official estimates say forest cover has increased in the Himalaya, a number of credible independent studies have found significant discrepancies in this claim, said an expert.
The Comptroller and Auditor General in 2010 had expressed concern over disturbance to the natural ecology and destabilisation of hill slopes Forests have been diverted for a host of land use activities such as agriculture, human settlements and urbanisation. Massive infrastructure development such as hydropower construction and road building has taken place. Scientific studies indicate that at the current rates of deforestation, the total forest cover in the Indian Himalaya will be reduced from 84.9 per cent (of the value in 1970) in 2000 to no more than 52.8 per cent in 2100.
Chronic floods during the monsoon on an average affect more than 30 million Indians annually. Ironically, 60% of India’s farmland, 66% of its livestock and its entire forest area depend on rains for survival. According to a recently released Central Water Commission (CWC) report, on an average 7.21 million hectares (roughly 72,000 sq km) go under floodwater. This water typically ravages 3.78 million hectares of agricultural land, damaging crops worth Rs 1,118 crore annually. Heavy rains and floods account for nearly 1,700 lives lost annually. Apart from this, 1.25 lakh houses are annually damaged by torrential rains that also wipe out nearly 96,000 livestock. Floods are the most recurrent natural calamity, hitting India almost every year. According to the CWC’s report on ‘financial aspects of flood control, anti-sea erosion and drainage projects’, it is not possible to provide absolute protection instantly to all flood-prone areas. It says such an attempt will neither be practically possible nor economically viable.
The CWC’s analysis of floods in India from 1953 to 2011 shows a marginal decline in flood-affected areas over the years. The data shows 1977, 1978 and 1979 were the worst-hit. The 1977 floods killed over 11,000 people – six times the average for the 59 years between 1953 and 2011. In terms of area and population affected, the floods of 1978 were most destructive. They submerged over 17 million hectares of land, affecting more than 70 million people. The 1978 floods damaged over 3.5 million houses, more than double the 59-year average. In 1979 floods wiped out 6.2 lakh cattle, the maximum for this period. In terms of financial loss, recent floods have been far more destructive. The total loss of crops, houses and public utilities in 2009 was Rs 32,541 crore, the highest for any year.
The 2003 floods destroyed crops worth Rs 7,298 crore, while the flood-induced damage to houses was more than Rs 10,000 crore in 2009, the maximum so far.
According to the ministry of water resources, the National Flood Commission was set up in 1976 for the formulation of a flood-control policy. Its report, submitted in 1980, was subsequently accepted by the government. But not much progress has been made in the implementation of the recommendations. According to the Commission’s estimates nearly 80% of India’s flood-prone area could be provided with a reasonable degree of protection. It is taught even in school text books that vegetative cover slows the speed of falling rain and prevents soil erosion and gully formation — the precursors to landslides and floods. Dense vegetation, by evapo-transpiration, also stops nearly 30-40 per cent of rainwater from falling to the ground, thereby significantly reducing run-off. Besides holding the soil together, forests and soil soak water from the rain, release it slowly and prevent water flowing as run-off. So, deforestation
brings about slope destabilisation, landslides and floods. Given that the Himalayan range is geologically young and still rising, it makes the area vulnerable to erosion and instability. Therefore, it is all the more necessary to take land use change more seriously. Besides, global warming is fast catching up with the Himalaya. In a recent study shows that Himalayan ecosystems have experienced faster rates of warming in the last 100 years and more than the European Alps or other mountain ranges of the world. In such a scenario, there will be faster melting of glaciers causing higher water discharges in the Himalayan rivers.
Expanding human settlements and urbanisation bringing in its trail land use changes and large-scale dam building in recent years are other crucial issues that need to be addressed. Heavy pilgrim population has also resulted in the mushrooming of shanty towns, cheap accommodation and numerous ramshackle buildings along river banks. Amid fears that Uttarakhand’s distress may be as bad as the tsunami which struck Indian shores in 2004, relief operations have to be ramped up. A mighty task of evacuation and reconstruction lies ahead. And, with the threat of epidemics looming large over the area dotted with bloated human bodies and rotting carcasses, that day may not the far when those living will envy the dead in the words of Nikita Khrushchev. – PTI Feature
