The Joshimath Crisis: A Himalayan Tragedy

The hashtag #JoshiMathisSinking on social media platforms, makes one’s heart sink and also brings to the surface the growing indifference of the establishment towards the fragile ecosystem of the Himalayan states. With the entire hill town on the brink of extinction, the state and Central governments seem to have woken up. But it is a case of too little, too late. What we are watching unfold in front of our eyes is a tragedy of Himalayan proportions. Media reports cite residents complaining to Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Dhami for months to no avail. Now, both his administration as well as Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s government have had to sit up and take notice—at a time when the entire town is fast disappearing. This is a wake-up call for the authorities. Today, it is Joshimath, tomorrow it could be the turn of Nainital or Mussoorie or any other crowded hill town. Whatever system, if there indeed, is any, is in place for permission to buildings, needs to be reset. All these years, the interests of tourism and industrial development overrode all other environmental priorities in the hill states of our Himalayan range. This focus needs to shift not just in Uttarakhand, but elsewhere in states like Himachal Pradesh and the North-Eastern region. Sunderlal Bahuguna, the pioneer of the Chipko movement had warned us through his actions and practices decades ago. We seem to have ignored his warnings at our peril. Some blame the NTPC tunnel and other tunnels near Joshimath, which have accentuated the crisis. We are now witnessing what we usually see in a tragedy such as this. Overnight, every layperson, journalist, politician, and everyone with a social media handle becomes an expert on the subject. That is the last thing Joshimath or other vulnerable areas need. The first priority should be the complete rehabilitation of the residents of Joshimath for now, along with relief proportionate to the scale of the crisis. The government should then initiate immediate steps to avert such tragedies in Uttarakhand and other hill states. Responsibility must be fixed starting with those at the highest level in the state administration, for having ignored the pleas and warnings of the residents of Joshimath for months. Governments cannot pretend to be concerned about citizens’ welfare only during election campaigns. Politicians like Pushkar Dhami must walk the talk if his party and government have to gain credibility in the eyes of the people and the nation. The world is watching what the BJP government in Uttarakhand and at the Centre is doing to salvage this sacred pilgrim town and protect other parts of this state as well as others in mountainous areas.