When mother nature unleashed her fury in the Himalayas, there was absolutely nothing that could stop her. Floods inundated and destroyed everything in it's path sweeping away all that stood it's way. Thousands were affected with many loosing their lives. The historic pilgrim centres that include Kedarnath was destroyed.
Now the question that we need to ask is who is to blame for this disaster? And the blame falls naturally on us. With rampant commercialization of the pilgrimage to the Himalayas, we started exerting much pressure on mother nature. Buildings were constructed upsetting the fragile nature of the ecosystem of the Himalayas. Forests were cut paving way for construction of big dams giving scant regard on the pressures that such mega projects will have on the ecosystem. When massive constructions were undertaken to support the ever growing pilgrims and tourists in the Himalayas, the core issues of sustainability and safety were not taken care off. No study was undertaken to ensure that the ecology which is fragile can sustain such huge and unscientific construction. Due to massive deforestation, there was absolutely nothing to prevent soil erosion. Due to the increasing temperature due to massive pollution by which the massive glaciers of the Himalayas is disappearing at a speedy rate, this disaster was waiting to happen.
As we humans develop scientifically, a feeling has started creeping into us that has grown to the proportion of arrogance that we have conquered mother nature. But when mother nature unleashes her fury, no scientific advances can prevent protect us. It is time to understand that there are something that just cannot be controlled.
Now the mute question is whether have we learnt our lesson? What is required is to start afresh and take steps so that whatever developments take place in the Himalayas and other ecologically fragile places, there is a quantitative and qualitative study to understand the impact on the ecology and sustainability of the developments. If we again refuse to learn from our mistakes, then ever greater disasters will happen and we as humans can only stand as mute spectators to the nature's fury that cannot be controlled. Let us learn and take corrective steps today before it is too late.
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