The Uttarakhand Himalayan Region Disaster: A Proposal and Call to Action17 February 2014 by Dr LS Spedding, assisted by Alex Seaton
Introductory Remarks
On 16 June 2013, quite unexpectedly and well before the time of the monsoon season, the State of Uttarakhand in India experienced a disastrous crisis through a man-made and natural configuration that reportedly killed more than 5,000 people and left thousands more missing. Such rain was unseasonal as June is still not considered to be the beginning of the monsoon season: pilgrims and tourists thronging the region were totally unprepared. Hundreds of cities were completely destroyed and washed away. In fact there is no really clear estimate of the number of villages wiped out, property destroyed, roads washed away and hydropower projects damaged in the mountain state. Forests, farmland, city centers and houses were completely submerged by water. There are two factors that have made the already vulnerable region more hazardous according to experts. The first is that climate change-related extreme weather events are increasing; Indian monsoon has become more intense. Studies demonstrate that extreme rain is becoming more frequent as compared to moderate rain, along with related repercussions. Secondly, the rainfall is also becoming variable and unseasonal. This was demonstrated in Uttarakhand on June 16. It rained without a break; some 200 mm came down within hours at a few places including Kedarnath. Evidently the whole village of Kedarnath was washed away in 50 seconds, leaving only the Temple standing. Indeed, the entire region was in turmoil, bereft of stability.
Having spent time in the region over many years and having witnessed with considerable awe the magnificence of the mountains, the forests, the river, and the bio-diversity, I have had personal experience of the significance of this area. Indeed I believe that its unique importance must be observed and preserved. For many years I have advised on the risks of deforestation and the need for sustainable development and have been privileged to do so in various capacities, including as an observer on the Dehradun mining case in the 1980s, where one relevant reference to the Spiritual texts may be cited as follows:
“That is why there is copious reference to forests in the Vedas and the ancient literature of ours. In ancient times trees were worshiped as gods and prayers for upkeep of forests were offered to the Divine. In the Artharva Veda (5.30.6) it has been said:
‘Man’s paradise is on earth;
This living world is the beloved place of all;
It has the blessings of Nature’s bounties;
Live in a lovely spirit.’”
I have also had the honor of being invited as a speaker on sustainable development at events on environmental management in the region where I have witnessed the biodiversity including in Palampur in the Himalayas. I have enjoyed the privilege of being a guest of the Chipko movement [see further below]. Moreover I believe strongly in the significance of India and her spiritual heritage and role in exemplifying the profound understanding of spiritual and ethical principles in implementing other developmental intentions. As I wrote in my preface to my book on India, “Trade and Investment in India: Economic Development and Environmental Issues” in 1987, “The impetus to write this book came through many years of traveling in the subcontinent, enjoying a wealth of experience. What has become very clear to me over the years is the opportunity for India, in her capacity as an emerging jurisdiction, to benefit not only from her own policy changes but also from the global changes in her attitude to growth and development as regards the need for a sustainable approach… India represents a wonderful illustration of these ideas due to her rich diversity, her longstanding traditions, and her flexibility.”
This remains equally true in preparing this proposal. I have also observed that while each of us is increasingly interconnected in the modern world through technology and globalization, this trend reflects in fact the reality of the ongoing Vedic tradition of wholeness and the contribution of India. Svamiji has explained this beautifully as follows:
“India – and her spiritual heritage – has been known since the beginning of civilization as a Jagadguru – World Guide or Teacher . Therefore India has always disseminated the knowledge for humankind as a whole in the interests of all of humanity and the environment. That role continues to be recognized and understood.”
This point must be remembered and borne in mind as we seek answers to today’s issues relating to our environmental and energy requirements as responsible individuals. Indeed, as an initial observation at this stage, I would like to highlight the challenge of sustainable development which was raised and evident in the Rio Plus Five deliberations in June 1997. I was indeed honored to give some observations from the UK at the time of the Rio Summit and when the UN World Commission on Environment and Development, chaired by Norway’s Prime Minister, Gro Harlem Bruntlund, identified a key concern:
“The next few decades are crucial for the future of humanity. Pressures on the planet are unprecedented and are accelerating at rates and scales new to human experience… Each area of change represents a formidable challenge in its own right, but the fundamental challenge stems from their systemic character. They lock together environment and development, once thought separate; they lock together ‘sectors,’ such as industry and agriculture; they lock countries together as the effects of national policies and actions spill over national borders. Separate policies and institutions can no longer cope effectively with these interlocked issues. Nor can nations, acting unilaterally… The real world of interlocked economic and ecological systems will not change; the policies and institutions concerned must.”
It is our submission that the incident in the Himalayan region is a matter of concern for the world as a whole and that a more enlightened approach must be considered and implemented as a matter of urgency. It is further submitted that the repercussions of the consequent devastation affecting the landscape and the lives of the people cannot be mitigated – nor any real response be available in the event of future flooding – unless specific steps are taken. Moreover, lessons should be learned and understood that appreciate the place of this region as being of unique perennial significance. If one were to understand that indeed this region should be honored, revered and left to breathe in accordance with the spiritual tradition of India – the Vedic wisdom – then it is further submitted that such a disaster would not recur and indeed that this incident should be recognized as being divine intervention that both warns and protects against more severe incidents. It brings to mind the Teachings of the Gita and Isha Upanishad to the effect that awareness of the interconnection between all is a priority. This proposal discusses: the anthropogenic causes for the crisis; what can be done in the future to mitigate these causes; the importance and sanctity of the Uttarakhand region; and, how to prevent humans from destroying the sacred area of Uttarakhand in the future.
The sensitive warning of Svamiji in His Telecast in June 2013 must be remembered. He has said:
“This happening is… very interesting, and a lot of lessons are to be learned here. Of course, a lot of people, including many scientists, will have many impressions, explanations, and the climate (so-called) experts will have their own explanations and the government will have their own – everybody has their own thoughts and impressions, but I look from the Cosmic point of view. I look at everything from the Law of Nature point of view, the Creation point of view, the spiritual point of view, along with the fundamental principle of Spiritual Awareness point of view, not the material perspective expressed by so-called people in the world, how they react. It is very interesting to note in the last March when we had a Retreat… if you recollect, well… I was anguished. I was pained to see how people are destroying the sanctity of the Ganga. It is very sad that the Ganga is polluted and not respected… in fact all along Ganga only spiritual seekers should be allowed to go, not normal tourists, not commercial people, not government greed of so-called building and rafting and noisy parties on the Ganga beach with alcohol and Tamasic food, dancing on the beaches and so on and so on, all these… and if you remember, you must remember how anguished I was.
The point is here that why human beings allow themselves to such a way that Nature has to act, take steps? Time and again, this has happened. Why have human beings not realized their own folly, their own mistake, their own misdeed? And why Nature – Nature forces – has to intervene and do drastic things? Why go through the pain of human ignorance and human arrogance? That is another question… There is a Cosmic System, and that System is the Law of the Cosmos. On Earth, we call it “Law of Nature” – the Natural Law. And that, the Prakriti, Maya, we call it Maya’s Play, Prakriti, Prakriti’s Law, Law of Prakriti, Law of Nature, is a perfect system. And that perfect system has to be understood. And only when you understand this perfect system do you follow the Law of Nature. You cannot go against the Law of Nature. You cannot act against the Cosmic Law, the Divine Law, the Final Law, and the Law of Cosmic High Beings who watch and, if necessary, who intervene in order to make things right for the world. That is something which one has to understand, and not just say, “Why does God do it?” but looking into your own conduct, “Why do we do it?” These are the questions one has to ask oneself.
Looking into your own conduct or your own karma, your own understanding, your own perception and how you should behave as an individual or collectively is vital. Moreover in this context, population control must be borne in mind also: as the Vedas have indicated, one quality being or soul is far better than many confused or ignorant beings. It is the individual qualities that matter and each one has the potential to change themselves and the environment positively in accordance with the Higher law. When you fail to behave properly – individually and collectively – then the Law of Nature has to take matters into her own hand, and that is what has happened.
How to make human beings aware that reckless building along the Ganga must not continue? Reckless commercialism must end. When the Temple becomes a place of commerce, trade, money, and not the place for seeking the Truth, the Knowledge, the Wisdom, the solace, the Anandam, the Bliss, the happiness, this is against the Divine Law. If such sites and places are replaced by these mundane, material things, what do you think the Divine forces will do? How do you think the Divine forces will allow such negative and such destructive activities in the name of God or in the name of Divinity? That is not acceptable on the Divine Level. So again, there is a lesson to be learned and to look into, to assess and redress. What are we doing to ourselves and to Mother Earth? What are the processes? We are using, abusing, and destroying ourselves and others and the world. This greed, commercialism in that sense and the behaviour of not sanctifying, not understanding, not respecting the sanctity of the place must be understood as wrong or misguided.
So the point is that there is a Divine Law, which is the Supreme Law and all nature – the mountains, the rain, the lake, sun, wetland, river, ocean, forest – should be left untouched by human habitation, because these elements need to breathe, stand and express themselves. The entire Himalayan area should not be a place of settlement: rather the places of spiritual significance should be a place of individual pilgrimage. We should resume the approach of ancient times when the High Beings lived there and normal beings went there for learning, paying respect and seeking Spiritual Knowledge. That is needed.”
Anthropogenic Contributions to the Uttarakhand Crisis
It is interesting to note the original stem of the word disaster and one of the more often quoted current definitions of disaster – from Middle French désastre, from Old Italian disastro, from the Greek pejorative prefix dis- bad + aster star – is the impact of a natural or man-made hazards that negatively affects society or environment. The root of the word is from astrology: this implies that when the stars are in a bad position a bad event will happen. Yet the real question is how far a disaster is in fact caused by human action or inaction, outside forces or Act of God beyond human control, or a combination.
Analyzing a natural disaster and its causes can be a multifaceted and daunting undertaking. The majority of disasters are caused by a cumulating mass of both natural and human impacts, and deciphering between the two can be difficult. However, reports and sources indicate that the Uttarakhand crisis is highlighted by numerous anthropogenic contributions, most of which could have been avoided or mitigated by even moderate preparedness. If one is to take the definition (referred to further below) of disaster management as being the discipline of dealing with and avoiding risks, that involves preparing, supporting, and rebuilding society when natural or human-made disasters occur in general, it is submitted that the lack or preparedness in this instance is quite striking in every respect.
Although the Uttarakhand crisis was on occasion defined as a natural disaster because heavy rainfall and cloud burst triggered the event, and indeed there were various comments reported at the time blaming Nature or God in the circumstances, it was, ultimately, man-made contributions that propelled the heavy rainfall to develop into a tsunami-like disaster that killed thousands of people. There were a number of causes that instigated the tragedy in Uttarakhand. The most major man-made contributions include: the absence of an early warning system, the state’s lack of a disaster management plan, unfortunate and unrestricted development along the river banks.
1. Absence of an Early Warning System and Lack of Disaster Management Plan
Disaster management is generally regarded as being the discipline of dealing with and avoiding both natural and manmade disasters. It involves preparedness, response and recovery in order to lessen the impact of disasters (see recognized headings set out in the Appendix). It may also involve preparedness training by private citizens. It is common in most countries to have systems in place that warn its citizens of upcoming natural threats. In this instance, however, evidently the major disaster and weather relief agencies in India failed to put into place “basic systems of warning, forecasting, monitoring and information dissemination that can greatly reduce disaster potential of any area.”[1] Uttarakhand still has no system in place to forecast cloud burst events, even though it would be relatively simple and affordable to do so, especially when it would mitigate harm to the citizens of the state.[2] In fact, there are not even reports on how much rain fell in specific locations during the crisis and there are no reports on what was done to alert the communities that were at risk.[3] The lack of research and knowledge on possible natural contributions to disaster, coupled with the lack of a forecasting system, is a travesty, especially in an area that is still so vulnerable to natural disaster.
The Uttarakhand government’s inability to contain the devastating outcome of the flash floods was a direct result of the state’s unpreparedness, and utter refusal to become prepared, in handling such disasters. In an area declared by the government as “eco-sensitive,” it is appalling that there was no disaster management plan in place.[4] It seems the Uttarakhand government was so focused on developing the area and making it more appealing for tourism that they ignored the dysfunction of their disaster management plan. In fact, two months prior to the Uttarakhand crisis, the Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) of India had submitted a report to the Indian Parliament highlighting that the Uttarakhand disaster management authority (SDMA) had not formulated a plan nor any rules for disaster management in the state.[5] The SDMA had formed in 2007 and still had not formulated a disaster management plan in 2013.[6] Furthermore, as of September 2012, the SDMA had not even met since its institution in 2007, and it had only fulfilled 66 posts out of the required 117.[7]
Each government authority that has been brought up in the hindsight debate for “what could have been done” passes blame to another government authority. The National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) blamed the India Meteorological Department for not providing a more precise forecast for the rains that contributed to the flash floods in the area.[8] As previously stated, the lack of an early warning system was definitely a large contributor; however, the NDMA itself also acted negligently in its duties. The NDMA was created to oversee the disaster management progress at the state level. It was meant to implement proper disaster management plans and enforce them at the state level.[9] However, the NDMA had no control over nor any information on the progress at the state level, and the NDMA never followed up with Uttarakhand to confirm that there was a plan in place.[10]
The Uttarakhand state is no stranger to natural disasters, which makes it even more troubling that disaster management was being so thoroughly ignored in this area. In just August of 2012, the Uttarkashi district of Uttarakhand dealt with a similar incidence that left 29 dead.[11] After this tragedy, the Uttarakhand government declared that it would strictly regulate development along the river, which went unsupported by action.[12] Similarly, in September 2012, Okhimath (one of the centermost areas of the Uttarakhand crisis) struggled with landslides that killed 69 people.[13] This area has faced monsoon-related natural disasters seven times within the last 34 years, all of which involved multiple deaths of citizens.[14] If implemented, the prohibitions of development along the river basins could have saved many lives, sadly, the government and developers chose to ignore them.
It would be unfair to say that there were not efforts put in place, however superficial. In June 2008, the Government of India purchased two Dopple Radars; however, by 2012 the radars were still not installed and it was later reported that they could not be installed due to the “non-availability of land.”[15] Likewise, in 2004, the government purchased Airbone Laser Terrain Mapping and Digital Camera System, however the survey covered less than 10 percent of flood prone areas and the government stopped conducting these surveys in 2010.[16] Report No. 5 of the Comptroller and Auditor General of India highlights the ineptitude of all of the proposed disaster management programs in Exhibit A attached to this proposal.[17] There were seven programs put into place, including the: National Database for Emergency Management (NDEM); Airbone Laser Terrain Mapping and Digital Camera System; Disaster Management Synthetic Aperture Radar; Satellite Based Communication Network for Disaster Management; Doppler Weather Radars; National Disaster Communication Network; and the National Disaster Management Informatics System.[18] Every single one of the projects is incomplete.[19]
It seems that there are efforts to mitigate the damage that has occurred in Uttarakhand and to research further the effects of hydroelectric projects on the local environment. In August 2013, the Supreme Court prohibited the Union Ministry of Environment and Forest (MoEF) and the State of Uttarakhand from granting any future forest clearances to aid hydroelectric power projects in Uttarakhand.[20] The Supreme Court also directed the MoEF to create an “expert body” to research the impact hydroelectric power projects have had on the local environment degradation.[21] The researchers are to study what effects the hydroelectric power projects had on the Uttarakhand Crisis, as well as whether the projects are “causing a significant impact on the biodiversity of the [local] river basins.”[22] Past projects, prohibitions, and efforts to preserve the environment of India have proved ineffective and largely disregarded, hopefully these new rulings will ensure that some efforts come to fruition.
2. Unrestricted Development
The failure of any early warning system and the lack of any disaster management action plan are both systematic procedures that should have been implemented prior to the disaster. The indiscriminate development in the hill towns, illegal encroachment taking place along the rivers, adverse human activities like deforestation, mining, quarrying, blasting, drainage, disruption, and slope modification, all could have been prevented had laws been put in place and followed.[23]The situation in Uttarakhand reveals total unpreparedness and uncontrolled development along vulnerable terrains. Uttarakhand, an area within the Himalayas, has been designated a Seismic Zone 5 area, which is an area most prone to earthquakes in India.[24]This is an area that is very sensitive to natural disasters and, as such, protections against unrestricted development should have been put into place. However, the government was prioritizing development and increased tourism over the protection of their natural landscape, sacred areas, and citizens.
Since 2002, there has been a ban on building within 100 meters of the river beds of the Bhagirathi, however the ban was not enforced, and road construction, hotel construction, and hydroelectric projects were still underway.[25] The government refused to declare Uttarakhand, a historically environmentally-fragile area, a protected area until 2012. In 2012, the government declared Uttarakhand, specifically the area along the Bhagirathi river from Gangotri to Uttarkashi, an “Eco-Sensitive Zone,” which meant that no development was permitted there.[26] However, in May 2013, Chief Minister Vijay Bahugana met with the Prime Minister and asked that the declaration be repealed, further illustrating government resistance. Bahugana argued that it would deny the area much needed development and would restrict the number of tourists, affecting the state’s economy.[27] Although tourism is a necessary evil for the economic development of any country, the Indian government proceeded to use a blind-eye towards the safety of its State’s environment and people for far too long.
The Uttarakhand Crisis should serve as a wake-up call to the Indian government. It is high time that they start practicing the same type of respect towards their landscape as the people that live in balance with the environment. Conservation efforts need to be put in place immediately, and funding support must also come from the government (see further below).
3. Traditional Understanding and the Chipko Movement Case Study
The sanctity of the Himalayan region – the sacred forests and the flowing Ganga – has been recognised for centuries by the Vedic Tradition and the spiritual texts. As Svamiji has emphasised:
“The Himalayan Mountains are not ordinary mountains and the Ganga is no ordinary river. These two demand respect. When they are invoked we invoke the energy of Creation. Mysticism, wisdom and creative energy are invoked by the names themselves.”
According to the Vedic tradition, the Himalayas are much more than a majestic mountain range that extends in a 2,410-km curve across South Asia. It is not only a home to rare sanative herbs or a haven, but also as an abode of gods. Indeed the Himalayas have been described as devatma or God-souled. It is said that the Sacred River Ganga that flows through India tumbles down from the heavens to the Earth falling first onto the head of GodShiva to soften the impact. In this context the mountains of the Himalayas are Shiva personified. The melting snow from the mountain peaks form rivulets that consolidate into the major rivers that fall thence to bring life to the arid plains below. The River Ganges or Ganga is perhaps the holiest river in any faith. Indeed, the ancient Gangacivilisation survives and lives on. Ganga originates from the Gangotri glacier at Gaumukh in the Indian Himalayasat 4,100 meters above sea level, and flows 2,525 km across northern India before meeting the Bay of Bengal in the east India and Bangladesh. As a river, the Gangacontributes to more than 25 percent of India’s total water resources. Most holy of all the rivers, the Ganga is considered pure and sacred, a holy Tirtha – meaning water sanctified by the touch of a God, in this case God Shiva, the ancient name for one of the Trinity. According to legend, Shiva resides at the renowned Mount Kailas, also known as Mt. Meru (or Sumeru in ancient texts), the center of the world, and the most striking and unique mountain in the highlands.
The outside world is largely aware of the tallest peaks of the Himalayas – Everest, Annapurna, and the like which the egoistic mind of the modern age is motivated to “conquer” by ascending the summit. However the ancients, the religious pilgrims, and the devotees of Shiva pay homage to Mount Kailasa in a much different way – by circumambulating the sacred mountain. They would never consider desecrating the home of the Gods by setting foot on the mountain, much less attempting to climb to the summit. Perennially, devotees of the mystic mountain have been attracted from all areas of the globe. The Himalayan peaks have always held an attraction for seekers of knowledge who have come to renounce the world and meditate in the solitude of the mountains. Unfortunately today’s citizens of India have been affected by the modern world culture and many, especially in the large cities and urban areas, have tended to de-emphasize their cultural and spiritual heritage. This unfortunate trend has led to a clash between material and spiritual values. Instead, harmony should be achieved by reviewing the role of humans in the order of life and highlighting the importance of being responsible.
As regards biodiversity there is a vital role that India plays that was also discussed in my visit to Palampur regarding appropriate environmental understanding. She reportedly has:
In 1953, the Indian government nationalised the forests and most of the forest wood industry and non-wood forest products industry. Over the years, many rules and regulations were introduced in India. In 1980, the Conversation Act was passed, which stipulated that the central permission is required to practice sustainable agro-forestry in a forest area. Violations or lack of permits were made criminal offenses. Whereas the laws were intended to limit deforestation, conserve biodiversity and save wildlife, the intention was not matched by the actions that followed. After India had nationalized and heavily regulated forestry, neither investment aimed at sustainable forestry nor knowledge transfer followed. Deforestation increased, biodiversity diminished and wildlife dwindled. India’s rural population and impoverished families continued to ignore the laws passed in Delhi and to use the forests near them for sustenance and the Chipko Movement was born. Most detrimental was the industrialization that persisted. What emerged was the confrontation between two conflicting world views: one viewing nature simply as a commodity to be sold on the market and the other as something sacred and the basis of our life.
Indian forest types include tropical evergreens, tropical deciduous, swamps, mangroves, sub-tropical, montane, scrub, sub-alpine and alpine forests. These forests support a variety of ecosystems with diverse flora and fauna. Indian forests are more than trees and an economic resource. It should be emphasized that they are home to some of earth’s unique flora and fauna. Indian forests represent one of the 12 mega biodiverse regions of the world. India’s Western Ghats and Eastern Himalayas are amongst the 32 biodiversity hotspots on earth. Moreover Indian forests and wetlands serve as temporary home to many migrant birds.
The role of forests in the national economy and in ecology was further emphasized in the 1988 National Forest Policy, which focused on ensuring environmental stability, restoring the ecological balance, and preserving the remaining forests. Other objectives of the policy were meeting the need for fuelwood, fodder, and small timber for rural and tribal people while recognising the need to actively involve local people in the management of forest resources. Also in 1988, the Forest Conservation Act of 1980 was amended to facilitate stricter conservation measures. A new target was to increase the forest cover to 33% of India’s land area from the then-official estimate of 23%. In June 1990, the GOI adopted resolutions that combined forest science with social forestry, that is, taking account of the socio cultural traditions of the local people. The cumulative area afforested during the 1951-91 period was nearly 179,000 square kilometres. However, despite large-scale tree planting programs forestry was one area in which India regressed post independence. Annual fellings at about four times the growth rate were a major cause. In addition, the 1988 National Forest Policy noted, the forested area has been shrinking as a result of land cleared for farming and development programmes.
Meanwhile in 1969, forestry in India underwent a major change with the passage of the Forest Rights Act, a new legislation that sought to reverse the “historical injustice” to forest dwelling communities that resulted from the failure to record their rights over forest land and resources. It also sought to bring in new forms of community conservation. The Chipko movement (“Chipko”) in India started in the 1970s around a dispute on how and who should have a right to harvest forest resources as a self help action group. Although the Chipko movement no longer remains active in Uttarakhand, the Indian state of its origin, it survives as one of the most frequently cited examples of an environmental and a people’s movement. The background to Chipko is now a subject of debate; some neopopulists theorise Chipko as an environmental movement and an attempt to save forests, while others suggest that Chipko movement was not to do with eco-conservation, but was driven primarily to demand equal rights to harvest forests by local communities. My experience when I stayed with Sunderlal Bahuguna was one of dedication and reverence for the forest and awareness raising through peaceful activity. We enjoyed a wonderful village mela in which we recited poems and the Chipko poem or folk song was voiced as a prayer:
“What does the forest bear
Soil, water and pure air
Soil, water and pure air
Are the basis of life.”
Since the early 1970s, as they realised that deforestation threatened not only the ecology but their livelihood in a variety of ways, people have become more interested and involved in conservation. It was the best known popular activist movement in which local women under the leadership of Chandi Prasad Bhattand Sunderlal Bahuguna, who campaigned in the Gandhi tradition, decided to fight the government and the vested interests to save trees. The women declared that they would embrace – literally “to stick to” trees (chipkna in Hindi) – if any industrialist attempted to cut down ash trees in their district. They decided to hug the trees to protect them s the word “chipko” literally also means “to hug.” Since initial activism in 1973, the movement spread and became an ecological movement leading to similar actions in other forest areas. The movement slowed down the process of deforestation, exposed vested interests, increased ecological awareness, and demonstrated the viability of people power. The case study of the Chipko movement demonstrates that forests in India are a vital and integral resource for communities that live within these forests, or survive near the fringes of these forests.
It has been also observed that between 1990 and 2010, as evidenced by satellite data, India has reversed the deforestation trend. FAO reports that India’s rate of forest addition has increased in recent years, and as of 2010, it is the third fastest in the world in increasing forest cover. The 2009 Indian national forest policy document emphasizes the need to combine India’s effort at forest conservation with sustainable forest management. India defines forest management as one where the economic needs of local communities are not ignored, rather forests are sustained while meeting a nation’s economic needs and local issues through scientific forestry. This aspect of integral and responsible management is an area that will be considered further in the context of the progress of this proposal, along with consideration of other comparative international and sensitive approaches and the role of key stakeholders.
4. WWF Nepal, An Example INGO Framework
According to their reports, WWF Nepal is doing a great deal implementing a plan to conserve the environment around the Himalayas in Nepal. Their main focus is to “conserve nature and ecological processes through a combination of actions on the ground, national and international advocacy work to establish appropriate policies, and international campaigns to highlight and demonstrate solutions to crucial environmental problems.”[28] They also look to increase the adaptive capacity of the people in the region to manage the negative impacts of the climate change.[29] The main working areas of WWF Nepal are: forests, climate change, conservation science and species, sustainable livelihood, and conservation education.[30]
In their approach towards climate change, WWF Nepal uses a three-step approach: (1) focuses on increasing its own, regional, and national understanding of climate change through research (this includes training and working with local scientists in understanding issues and educating local communities); (2) using renewable energy projects to create global carbon financing to “establish a sustainable financing mechanism for local communities; and (3) engaging in forest carbon issues to help create equal benefit sharing.[31]
In their approach towards foresting, the WWF has a high goal of “zero net deforestation and forest degradation in WWF priority places by 2020.”[32] WWF implements three approaches to ensure conservation: protect, manage, and restore.[33] These three pillars focus on: effective planning; organized management within the community; involvement of community stakeholders; creating buffer zones and community forest user groups; promoting green enterprises and jobs; promoting sustainable financing mechanisms; and control encroachment and reclaim areas.[34]
The State of Uttarakhand needs to establish a similar agency or work with WWF within its own region. Creating an agency that has specific officers and advocates will allow the State to implement the kinds of plans that are necessary to most positively impact the environment in the area. Local rallies are important, but having a legitimate agency that advocates on the behalf of local communities and environmentalists will be much more effective.
The Landscape of Uttarkhand
1. Sanctity of Landscape and Preservation
The Uttarakhand region is, as mentioned, one of the most beautiful and most varied ecological systems in the world. The region sits on the southern slope of the Himalayan range, and varies from glacial vegetation to areas of subtropical forests. As a result of this dichotomy of climates, there is an abundance of different types of species of animals and flora, which creates an unmatched physical beauty.
Travelling through this region, regardless of individual belief, is a rejuvenating and soul-enriching experience. The magnificent landscape allows one to view, in one glance, glacial mountains, shimmering lakes, rich tropical fauna, rock-studded valleys, streams of solid ice, hundreds of animals, and an all-consuming sky. The beauty of the region makes it easy to understand why it is so sacred to the local communities. In order to wholly appreciate Uttarakhand, it is essential to understand the meaning that the local people give to the landscape of the region. It is the respect for nature that is inherent in the traditional beliefs systems of the local people that is responsible for maintaining a harmonious equilibrium in the ecological environment that they live in.
The local people worship and conserve the surrounding landscape in many different ways. They practice various customs to continue the conservation and protection of the landscape, including: weaving the practice of sanctity into socio-religious values, customary taboos, and sanctions.[35] One of the most prevalent forms of worship and conservation is through sacred groves.[36]Sacred groves are the most common and ancient form of protecting biodiversity since the beginning of time in the Himalayan Region.[37] Sacred groves are forest areas that are protected by the local communities through social taboos. The groves are typically dedicated to a deity or ancestral spirit that looks over the grove and condemns anyone that tries to disturb it.[38] All forms of vegetation in the area are protected under that reigning deity, and “even the removal of a small twig is a taboo.”[39] There are more than 150,000 sacred groves in India, a great indication of how the natural habitat is revered by the local communities.[40] Another community in Uttarakhand worships Peepal trees in their village.[41] The trees were planted by their ancestors and they consider these trees to be family members.[42] Other sacred areas include: Bhujani, a sacred forest that remains the only refuge for the endangered species of Musk deer; the sacred forest of Maanthaat which villagers can only enter once a year during a celebration of the deity; the sacred forest of Madhkeshwar, which only allows entrance once every 70 years.[43] These areas are all defined as sacred natural sites (“SNS”) or “areas of land or water having special spiritual significance to peoples and communities.”[44] SNS have important biodiversity conservation values. Most of these sites prohibit the cutting down of trees or even entrance into the area – consequently, the areas are rich in diversity of species and are huge for conservation.[45] It is apparent through these customs how much the people in the Uttarakhand area revere the environment and ecological systems of their area in the Himalayas.
Even though local villages practice many customs to protect the environment, as indicated some areas have still become exploited, which has led to a drastic change in the climate of the region and resulted in conflicts between the villagers and animals, and a depletion of water sources.[46] However, instead of surrendering to the environmental crises, the local people stood up and rallied for their sacred environment. Consequently, the local people developed a strategy to dedicate parts of their forests to a local deity. They then developed regulations surrounding the forest, including sanctions, how long the forest will be deemed sacred, whether people can enter such a region, etc. This strategy has proven to work extremely well because the people in the region have such a great fear of invoking the wrath of the deity, and as a result, they do not violate any of the rules, and the forest area is preserved.[47] It is obvious through these examples that the Uttarakhand people have an extremely symbiotic relationship with nature, as it provides them with products for survival as well as a spiritual connection to something tangible.
2. Education and Awareness Campaign
Numerous challenges have arisen that threaten the livelihood of the sacred landscape of Uttarakhand. These challenges include: construction of dams, roads, and buildings; shifting values from preservation to economic fortitude; and diminishing of traditional beliefs due to modernization.[48] Another threat is the increased visitation by pilgrims and tourists, and the associated commercialism.[49] There is also a change in attitude due to the loss of pride in place of origin and the stories and history associated with the local region. The rejection of traditional belief systems, especially by young people, is partly caused by current mainstream education approaches.
A common theme throughout these threats is the ignorance or diminishing of local values, traditions, and beliefs concerning the sanctity of the environment. In order to remedy this situation, it is apparent that one thing in particular is needed: education. People, local and from outsider the area, need to be educated on the sacredness of the area. If they understand and appreciate how sacred the land of Uttarakhand is, it is probable that they will treat it with much more respect.
An awareness campaign to educate people through community participation would be the most ideal response to these threats and this is central to the proposal referred to further below. Local villagers along with students and environmentalists could work side-by-side to implement an education system to create an understanding of the traditions and beliefs to foreigners, tourists, and younger villagers who may have been exposed to modernization. In order to implement this plan, necessary tools should be put in place, such as:
3. Eco-Towns
The many villages that make up Uttarakhand were initially set up to develop into self-preserving communities, totally dependent on their surrounding environment and their people. Their food and employment would stem from the environment which the Himalayas provided, and because the citizens of the area knew how to treat and respect the plants, vegetation, and animals, the capacity would never become depleted. However, as pilgrimages to the various sacred temples in the area became more popular, tourism and development inevitably followed. Foreign minds, in particular, were not aware of how to treat the vegetation in the area, and as such, the environment is being mistreated and devastated. Furthermore, as was discussed earlier, unrestricted development of new roads and buildings created mass destruction to the Himalayas and the surrounding environment. In order to quell this rapid depletion of the natural landscape, certain steps need to be taken. Although further development is frowned upon, if development is necessary, it should be implemented in the form of eco-villages, very much in the style of Vedic villages, whose existence are carefully sanctioned and monitored by those who understand the significance of the region and the truly sacred tradition.
The fundamental principle behind eco-villages is sustainability.[50] Eco-villages propose to complement the natural landscape of the region, provide ample employment opportunities, biodiversity, soil absorption capacity (reduces threat from flash-flooding). This development would essentially reinvigorate the existing communities by drawing on the fabric of the local tradition and infrastructure to build a sustainable lifestyle and community.[51]
Stakeholder involvement is the key to ensure community involvement and acceptance.[52] It is important that the local communities are engaged in the decision-making process of designing the new town and providing any insight to development process and how to keep in harmony with the landscape. It is extremely important that these local communities do not feel as though the eco-village has been imposed upon them, in contrast, they should feel a sense of control in the project. The local citizens have the most intimate knowledge of the landscape and how it reacts to certain developments. They would provide invaluable insight into the development of these villages, and should be treated accordingly.
Environmental Action
The landscape of Uttarakhand and the Himalayas is not solely revered for its beauty and sanctity, but also because of the many benefits it brings to the world as a whole. The area supports thousands of medicinal plants, many of which have not even been discovered or completely understood yet. Cures for diseases could be hiding in any one of these plants, and in order to reap those benefits, the environment of the area must be preserved and protected. Furthermore, as climate change continues to become more unbalanced, it is extremely important to preserve as much natural landscape as possible to further our ecological and climate stability.
Humans tend to exploit the environment until it is completely barren, and then, after the fact, realize that the situation must be remedied. We devastate our environments and continue to disturb them. Why not, instead, let the environment be? Let natural landscapes breathe, let them be devoid of human touch, let them ebb and flow with the environment as they should. In order to allow our world to save some of its beauty and sanctity, humans need to back away and allow our natural landscapes some room to flourish on their own.
As the Center for Science and the Environment [“CSE”] has concluded, what really compounded the disaster—made it truly man-made—is the scale of development intervention in the past decade or so. This Himalayan region has seen unchecked construction activity, illegal and legal mining, unscientific road building and, of course, hydropower projects built next to each other. In Kedarnath, large-scale construction has been done on the land evacuated by glacier in the past few years. It is small wonder that the water, moraine and stones came crashing down and took all with it. Many human lives were lost that morning and families shattered. This is the deadly and painful cost of environmental mismanagement. Will we learn from this? Will we learn how to live with the excesses and shortages of water, particularly in the fragile Himalayan ecosystem? Will we learn that extreme rain conditions will require us to build a new water culture?
In 1991, environmentalist Anil Agarwal, who the Writer knew personally, after much research for the publication, Flood, Flood Plains and Environmental Myths, brought to attention facts then considered inconvenient. He wanted to understand why floods occurred, with greater intensity, in the plains of India. The common perception was deforestation in the Himalayas caused floods in the plains. Planting trees upstream would “fix” the problem. His research showed that the Himalayas were geologically dynamic, prone to landslides, which would in turn block rivers and create natural dams. The bursting of these dams made of rubble, stone and silt, would wreak havoc downstream. He then went on to argue that we needed to consider a Himalayan policy that took into account the fragility and vulnerability of the region. By then, road activity had started to scar the hills and landslides were increasing. This, in turn, was making it more dangerous for people to live there.
His message was direct and clear: stop blaming the people living in the Himalayas for the floods in the Indo-Gangetic plains. Instead, focus on building a management system to live with floods, to harvest the excess water in ponds, tanks and groundwater recharge systems. It was, in his view, the willful destruction of the flood plains through unchecked construction of buildings and drainage systems that had exacerbated floods. The Himalayas, he said, would remain vulnerable to landslides and flash floods and development would not work if it did not take into account the true nature of the region. Learn, therefore, to live with the hazards of the Himalayas. As he also urged, the bottom line is that we need to learn to live with nature and not have the temerity to think that we can overcome it. As we sadly witness the devastation and loss of lives, Agarwal’s messages resonate at this time. The future will be even more uncertain and riskier because of extreme weather events and mismanagement of resources. The way ahead is to respect the vulnerability of the region… Only then will the Himalayan tragedy not be repeated. Moreover, the responsible and proactive and empathetic approach that the Vedas guide are appropriate and should be understood.
Key Quotation
“Mother Nature has lent us the five elements –
Earth, fire, water, air and space –
Entrusting us with the responsibility to use them wisely
Until the loan is due for repayment.”
Sri Svami Purna: “The Truth Will Set You Free”
The Proposal
In view of the sanctity of this region, as mentioned, visitors must be fully trained, attuned with and aware of its significance, demonstrating appropriate respect and reverence. It is of course vital to balance various interests including:
This incident indeed has lessons for the planet as a whole. There is no doubt that the Vedic, Natural Law and legal traditions have been sufficiently developed for many decades and centuries: the issue is the practical implementation and enforcement of such principles and frameworks. Therefore we propose a comprehensive training program to take account of all stakeholders.
We must emphasise as a key point to which we refer in this discussion the unique role of the Himalayas and the River Ganga and the need to preserve their purity and to admit any failings in responsibility and make amends. With this in mind, instead of repopulating the area, alternative strategies should be followed that respect the place of these sacred mountains and their bio-diversity.
The region abounds with local people who instinctively understand the issues and they should be respected for their local knowledge. Any pilgrimages should be carefully planned and monitored and any form of tourism other than part of an individual spiritual quest should be stopped.
There are places throughout the world where disaster appears to hit time and again: the lesson should be understood that such regions should be kept in peace free from human greed and so called need. As Svamiji has recommended, areas such as wetland areas and areas of natural habitat and bio-diversity should be allowed to flourish.
Mountains should not be conquered but rather wondered at. We should reclaim our love and respect of all of creation in the spirit of humility and honesty. We would like to research a list of sacred places where an understanding of our role as coexisting rather than conquering can be a priority and the term stewardship should be debated and principles agreed.
We would like to call upon those in like mind to assist us with an education and training program as a force for good that can be exemplary beginning with this region and progressing elsewhere as a true precedent to uplift and give hope for the future generations, working with the local inhabitants and capacity building.
We should support this call for action to save the sanctity of the Himalayas by an action plan of training, publishing and interacting in dialogue with the local people and having regard to the spiritual tradition.
We would like to create a force or team of dedicated individuals representing various disciplines – an interdisciplinary local and international team – to keep the spiritual places intact and remind all of the environmental value system, by unannounced visits.
We will introduce Walking Meditation as a way of merging into the sanctity. We are all here in life to serve and learn and serve in true humility using whatever resources we may have and we should recall the gifts of life and nature and feel an individual connection and commitment and inspire others by way of a positive example as Svamiji teaches in harmony with the Law of Nature and the Spiritual Tradition.
We have already begun by establishing a presence in Rishikesh, where the Himalyas begin. Please join us and support our ongoing initiative.
The Appendix: Modern Disaster or Disaster Management Procedures Many tools have existed for some time to enable a proactive approach to risk. In contemporary academia, disasters are seen as the effect of hazards on vulnerable areas. Hazards that occur in areas with low vulnerability do not result in a disaster; as is the case in uninhabited regions (Quarantelli, 1998). Hence the need to consider carefully any populating of a vulnerable region such as Uttarakhand. Below are set out some generally accepted approaches to disaster management and a basic framework that is accepted and used in many places.
Disaster has been defined as a sudden, calamitous event bringing great damage, loss, and destruction and devastation to life and property. The damage caused by disasters is immeasurable and varies with the geographical location, climate and the type of the earth surface/degree of vulnerability. This influences the mental, socio-economic, political and cultural state of the affected area. Generally, disaster in this context completely disrupts the normal day to day life. Normal needs and processes like food, shelter, health, etc. are affected and deteriorate depending on the intensity and severity of the disaster. Indeed it negatively influences the emergency systems. It may also be termed as “a serious disruption of the functioning of society, causing widespread human, material or environmental losses which exceed the ability of the affected society to cope using its own resources.”
Thus, a disaster may have the following main features:
o Unpredictability o Unfamiliarity o Speed o Urgency o Uncertainty o Threat
Disaster Management is the discipline of dealing with and avoiding risks. It is a discipline that involves preparing, supporting, and rebuilding society when natural or human-made disasters occur. In general, any emergency management plan is the continuous process by which all individuals, groups, and communities manage hazards in an effort to avoid or ameliorate the impact of disasters resulting from the hazards. Actions taken depends in part on perceptions of risk of those exposed. Effective emergency management relies on thorough integration of emergency plans at all levels of government and non-government involvement. Activities at each level (individual, group, community) affect the other levels. It is common to place the responsibility for governmental emergency management with the institutions for civil defense or within the conventional structure of the emergency services. In the private sector, emergency management is sometimes referred to as business continuity planning.
Emergency Management and crisis management are related areas of risk management. Essentially, the term “crisis management” emphasizes the political and security dimension rather than measures to satisfy the immediate needs of the civilian population. Emergency management is generally dependent on economic and social conditions local to the emergency or disaster. Experts have also noted that the cycle of emergency management must include long-term work on infrastructure, public awareness, and human justice issues. This is particularly important in developing nations. The process of emergency management involves four phases: mitigation, preparedness, response, and recovery.
Mitigation efforts attempt to prevent hazards from developing into disasters altogether, or to reduce the effects of disasters when they occur. The mitigation phase differs from the other phases because it focuses on long-term measures for reducing or eliminating risk. The implementation of mitigation strategies are still generally considered a part of the recovery process if applied after a disaster occurs. However, even if applied as part of recovery efforts, actions that reduce or eliminate risk over time are still considered mitigation efforts.
Usually mitigative measures can be structural or non-structural. Structural measures use technological solutions, like flood levees. Non-structural measures include legislation, land-use planning such as the designation of nonessential land like parks to be used as flood zones, and insurance. Mitigation is the most cost-efficient method for reducing the impact of hazards. However, mitigation is not always suitable and structural mitigation in particular may have adverse effects on the ecosystem.
In addition volunteers and non-governmental organizations (NGOs) may provide immediate practical assistance, from first aid provision to providing food and drink. A well rehearsed emergency plan developed as part of the preparedness phase enables efficient coordination of rescue efforts. Emergency plan rehearsal is essential to achieve optimal output with limited resources. In the response phase, medical assets will be used in accordance with the appropriate triage of the affected victims. Where required, search and rescue efforts commence at an early stage.
Unlike mitigation activities, which are aimed at preventing a disaster from occurring, personal preparedness focuses on preparing equipment and procedures for use when a disaster occurs, i.e. planning. Preparedness measures can take many forms including the construction of shelters, installation of warning devices, creation of back-up life-line services such as power, water, sewage, and rehearsing evacuation plans. Whereas the response phase of an emergency may commence with search and rescue, the focus will quickly move to fulfilling the basic humanitarian needs of the affected population. This assistance may be provided by national or international agencies and organisations. Effective coordination of disaster assistance is often crucial, particularly when many organisations respond and local emergency management agency (LEMA) capacity has been exceeded by the demand or diminished by the disaster itself. On a personal level, the response may involve a decision of staying confined at home or proceeding with an evacuation.
The recovery phase starts after the immediate threat to human life has subsided. During reconstruction it is recommended to consider the location or local construction material.
Click Below to View an Attachment from the Performance Audit of Disaster Preparedness in India:
Exhibit A
[1] http://sandrp.wordpress.com/2013/06/21/uttarakhand-deluge-how-human-actions-and-neglect-converted-a-natural-phenomenon
-into-a-massive-disaster/
[2] Id. SANDRP.
[3] Id. SANDRP.
[4] http://www.ndtv.com/article/india/uttarakhand-flood-disaster-natural-but-damage-man-made-381854
[5] http://news.oneindia.in/2013/06/24/u-khand-tragedy-cag-submits-report-1244367.html
[6] http://www.indiatogether.org/2013/jun/gov-disaster.htm
[7] Id. India Together
[8]Anisha Nair, http://news.oneindia.in/2013/06/24/u-khand-tragedy-cag-submits-report-1244367.html
[9]http://saiindia.gov.in/english/home/Our_Products/Audit_Report/Government_Wise/union_audit/recent_reports/union
_performance/2013/ Civil/Report_5/Report_5.html
[10]Id. Report No. 5. Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General of India.
[11] http://sandrp.wordpress.com/2013/06/21/uttarakhand-deluge-how-human-actions-and-neglect-converted-a-natural-phenomenon
-into-a-massive-disaster/
[12] Id.
[13] Id.
[14] Id.
[15] Id. India Together
[16] Id. India Together.
[17]http://saiindia.gov.in/english/home/Our_Products/Audit_Report/Government_Wise/union_audit/recent_reports/union
_performance/2013/ Civil/Report_5/Report_5.html
[18] Id. Report No. 5.
[19] Id. Report No. 5.
[20]Jagran Josh. http://www.jagranjosh.com/current-affairs/sc-directed-centre-state-governments-not-to-grant-clearance-to-hydropower-projects-1377001428-1
[21]Id. Jagran Josh.
[22]Id. Jagran Josh.
[23] http://nidm.gov.in/pdf/PROC%20ukw-13.pdf
[24] http://www.jagranjosh.com/current-affairs/uttarakhand-landslides-and-flood-a-man-made-crisis-1372680208-1
[25] Id. Jagran Josh
[26] http://www.ndtv.com/article/india/uttarakhand-flood-disaster-natural-but-damage-man-made-381854
[27] http://www.ndtv.com/article/india/uttarakhand-flood-disaster-natural-but-damage-man-made-381854
[28] http://www.wwfnepal.org/about_wwf/who_we_are_/
[29] http://www.wwfnepal.org/
[30] Id.
[31] http://www.wwfnepal.org/what_we_do/climate_change_in_nepal/
[32] http://www.wwfnepal.org/what_we_do/forest/
[33] Id.
[34] Id.
[35] Seema Dhaila-Adhikari and B.S. Adhikari, Conserving biodiversity through faith and beliefs in Kumaun Region, Uttarkahand.
[36] Id.
[37] Harsh Sing, et al. Biodiversity Conservation Through Traditional Beliefs System: A Case Study from Kumaon Himalays, India, International Journal of Conservation Science, Vol. 3:1, 33, 33 (March 2012).
[38] Seema Dhaila-Adhikari, Conserving Biodiversity.
[39] Harsh Sing, Biodiversity Conservation, at 33.
[40] Id.
[41] Seema Dhaila-Adhikari, Conserving Biodiversty.
[42] Id.
[43] Chandra Sing Negi, Culture and Biodiversity Conservation, Case Studies from Uttarakhand, Central Himalaya, Indian Journal of Traditional Knowledge, Vol. 11:2, 273, 275 (April 2012).
[44] Liza Higgins-Zagib, et al., The High Ground: Bio-cultural diversity and conservation of sacred natural sites in the Eastern Himalayas, 1, 2 (WWF 2012).
[45] Id.
[46] Seema, Conserving biodiversity.
[47] Id.
[48] Id.
[49] Higgins-Zagib, The High Ground, at 3.
[50] UK Environmental Law Association (UKELA), making the law work for a better environment, 3.
[51] Id. at 5.
[52] Id. 5.
Introductory Remarks
On 16 June 2013, quite unexpectedly and well before the time of the monsoon season, the State of Uttarakhand in India experienced a disastrous crisis through a man-made and natural configuration that reportedly killed more than 5,000 people and left thousands more missing. Such rain was unseasonal as June is still not considered to be the beginning of the monsoon season: pilgrims and tourists thronging the region were totally unprepared. Hundreds of cities were completely destroyed and washed away. In fact there is no really clear estimate of the number of villages wiped out, property destroyed, roads washed away and hydropower projects damaged in the mountain state. Forests, farmland, city centers and houses were completely submerged by water. There are two factors that have made the already vulnerable region more hazardous according to experts. The first is that climate change-related extreme weather events are increasing; Indian monsoon has become more intense. Studies demonstrate that extreme rain is becoming more frequent as compared to moderate rain, along with related repercussions. Secondly, the rainfall is also becoming variable and unseasonal. This was demonstrated in Uttarakhand on June 16. It rained without a break; some 200 mm came down within hours at a few places including Kedarnath. Evidently the whole village of Kedarnath was washed away in 50 seconds, leaving only the Temple standing. Indeed, the entire region was in turmoil, bereft of stability.
Having spent time in the region over many years and having witnessed with considerable awe the magnificence of the mountains, the forests, the river, and the bio-diversity, I have had personal experience of the significance of this area. Indeed I believe that its unique importance must be observed and preserved. For many years I have advised on the risks of deforestation and the need for sustainable development and have been privileged to do so in various capacities, including as an observer on the Dehradun mining case in the 1980s, where one relevant reference to the Spiritual texts may be cited as follows:
“That is why there is copious reference to forests in the Vedas and the ancient literature of ours. In ancient times trees were worshiped as gods and prayers for upkeep of forests were offered to the Divine. In the Artharva Veda (5.30.6) it has been said:
‘Man’s paradise is on earth;
This living world is the beloved place of all;
It has the blessings of Nature’s bounties;
Live in a lovely spirit.’”
I have also had the honor of being invited as a speaker on sustainable development at events on environmental management in the region where I have witnessed the biodiversity including in Palampur in the Himalayas. I have enjoyed the privilege of being a guest of the Chipko movement [see further below]. Moreover I believe strongly in the significance of India and her spiritual heritage and role in exemplifying the profound understanding of spiritual and ethical principles in implementing other developmental intentions. As I wrote in my preface to my book on India, “Trade and Investment in India: Economic Development and Environmental Issues” in 1987, “The impetus to write this book came through many years of traveling in the subcontinent, enjoying a wealth of experience. What has become very clear to me over the years is the opportunity for India, in her capacity as an emerging jurisdiction, to benefit not only from her own policy changes but also from the global changes in her attitude to growth and development as regards the need for a sustainable approach… India represents a wonderful illustration of these ideas due to her rich diversity, her longstanding traditions, and her flexibility.”
This remains equally true in preparing this proposal. I have also observed that while each of us is increasingly interconnected in the modern world through technology and globalization, this trend reflects in fact the reality of the ongoing Vedic tradition of wholeness and the contribution of India. Svamiji has explained this beautifully as follows:
“India – and her spiritual heritage – has been known since the beginning of civilization as a Jagadguru – World Guide or Teacher . Therefore India has always disseminated the knowledge for humankind as a whole in the interests of all of humanity and the environment. That role continues to be recognized and understood.”
This point must be remembered and borne in mind as we seek answers to today’s issues relating to our environmental and energy requirements as responsible individuals. Indeed, as an initial observation at this stage, I would like to highlight the challenge of sustainable development which was raised and evident in the Rio Plus Five deliberations in June 1997. I was indeed honored to give some observations from the UK at the time of the Rio Summit and when the UN World Commission on Environment and Development, chaired by Norway’s Prime Minister, Gro Harlem Bruntlund, identified a key concern:
“The next few decades are crucial for the future of humanity. Pressures on the planet are unprecedented and are accelerating at rates and scales new to human experience… Each area of change represents a formidable challenge in its own right, but the fundamental challenge stems from their systemic character. They lock together environment and development, once thought separate; they lock together ‘sectors,’ such as industry and agriculture; they lock countries together as the effects of national policies and actions spill over national borders. Separate policies and institutions can no longer cope effectively with these interlocked issues. Nor can nations, acting unilaterally… The real world of interlocked economic and ecological systems will not change; the policies and institutions concerned must.”
It is our submission that the incident in the Himalayan region is a matter of concern for the world as a whole and that a more enlightened approach must be considered and implemented as a matter of urgency. It is further submitted that the repercussions of the consequent devastation affecting the landscape and the lives of the people cannot be mitigated – nor any real response be available in the event of future flooding – unless specific steps are taken. Moreover, lessons should be learned and understood that appreciate the place of this region as being of unique perennial significance. If one were to understand that indeed this region should be honored, revered and left to breathe in accordance with the spiritual tradition of India – the Vedic wisdom – then it is further submitted that such a disaster would not recur and indeed that this incident should be recognized as being divine intervention that both warns and protects against more severe incidents. It brings to mind the Teachings of the Gita and Isha Upanishad to the effect that awareness of the interconnection between all is a priority. This proposal discusses: the anthropogenic causes for the crisis; what can be done in the future to mitigate these causes; the importance and sanctity of the Uttarakhand region; and, how to prevent humans from destroying the sacred area of Uttarakhand in the future.
The sensitive warning of Svamiji in His Telecast in June 2013 must be remembered. He has said:
“This happening is… very interesting, and a lot of lessons are to be learned here. Of course, a lot of people, including many scientists, will have many impressions, explanations, and the climate (so-called) experts will have their own explanations and the government will have their own – everybody has their own thoughts and impressions, but I look from the Cosmic point of view. I look at everything from the Law of Nature point of view, the Creation point of view, the spiritual point of view, along with the fundamental principle of Spiritual Awareness point of view, not the material perspective expressed by so-called people in the world, how they react. It is very interesting to note in the last March when we had a Retreat… if you recollect, well… I was anguished. I was pained to see how people are destroying the sanctity of the Ganga. It is very sad that the Ganga is polluted and not respected… in fact all along Ganga only spiritual seekers should be allowed to go, not normal tourists, not commercial people, not government greed of so-called building and rafting and noisy parties on the Ganga beach with alcohol and Tamasic food, dancing on the beaches and so on and so on, all these… and if you remember, you must remember how anguished I was.
The point is here that why human beings allow themselves to such a way that Nature has to act, take steps? Time and again, this has happened. Why have human beings not realized their own folly, their own mistake, their own misdeed? And why Nature – Nature forces – has to intervene and do drastic things? Why go through the pain of human ignorance and human arrogance? That is another question… There is a Cosmic System, and that System is the Law of the Cosmos. On Earth, we call it “Law of Nature” – the Natural Law. And that, the Prakriti, Maya, we call it Maya’s Play, Prakriti, Prakriti’s Law, Law of Prakriti, Law of Nature, is a perfect system. And that perfect system has to be understood. And only when you understand this perfect system do you follow the Law of Nature. You cannot go against the Law of Nature. You cannot act against the Cosmic Law, the Divine Law, the Final Law, and the Law of Cosmic High Beings who watch and, if necessary, who intervene in order to make things right for the world. That is something which one has to understand, and not just say, “Why does God do it?” but looking into your own conduct, “Why do we do it?” These are the questions one has to ask oneself.
Looking into your own conduct or your own karma, your own understanding, your own perception and how you should behave as an individual or collectively is vital. Moreover in this context, population control must be borne in mind also: as the Vedas have indicated, one quality being or soul is far better than many confused or ignorant beings. It is the individual qualities that matter and each one has the potential to change themselves and the environment positively in accordance with the Higher law. When you fail to behave properly – individually and collectively – then the Law of Nature has to take matters into her own hand, and that is what has happened.
How to make human beings aware that reckless building along the Ganga must not continue? Reckless commercialism must end. When the Temple becomes a place of commerce, trade, money, and not the place for seeking the Truth, the Knowledge, the Wisdom, the solace, the Anandam, the Bliss, the happiness, this is against the Divine Law. If such sites and places are replaced by these mundane, material things, what do you think the Divine forces will do? How do you think the Divine forces will allow such negative and such destructive activities in the name of God or in the name of Divinity? That is not acceptable on the Divine Level. So again, there is a lesson to be learned and to look into, to assess and redress. What are we doing to ourselves and to Mother Earth? What are the processes? We are using, abusing, and destroying ourselves and others and the world. This greed, commercialism in that sense and the behaviour of not sanctifying, not understanding, not respecting the sanctity of the place must be understood as wrong or misguided.
So the point is that there is a Divine Law, which is the Supreme Law and all nature – the mountains, the rain, the lake, sun, wetland, river, ocean, forest – should be left untouched by human habitation, because these elements need to breathe, stand and express themselves. The entire Himalayan area should not be a place of settlement: rather the places of spiritual significance should be a place of individual pilgrimage. We should resume the approach of ancient times when the High Beings lived there and normal beings went there for learning, paying respect and seeking Spiritual Knowledge. That is needed.”
Anthropogenic Contributions to the Uttarakhand Crisis
It is interesting to note the original stem of the word disaster and one of the more often quoted current definitions of disaster – from Middle French désastre, from Old Italian disastro, from the Greek pejorative prefix dis- bad + aster star – is the impact of a natural or man-made hazards that negatively affects society or environment. The root of the word is from astrology: this implies that when the stars are in a bad position a bad event will happen. Yet the real question is how far a disaster is in fact caused by human action or inaction, outside forces or Act of God beyond human control, or a combination.
Analyzing a natural disaster and its causes can be a multifaceted and daunting undertaking. The majority of disasters are caused by a cumulating mass of both natural and human impacts, and deciphering between the two can be difficult. However, reports and sources indicate that the Uttarakhand crisis is highlighted by numerous anthropogenic contributions, most of which could have been avoided or mitigated by even moderate preparedness. If one is to take the definition (referred to further below) of disaster management as being the discipline of dealing with and avoiding risks, that involves preparing, supporting, and rebuilding society when natural or human-made disasters occur in general, it is submitted that the lack or preparedness in this instance is quite striking in every respect.
Although the Uttarakhand crisis was on occasion defined as a natural disaster because heavy rainfall and cloud burst triggered the event, and indeed there were various comments reported at the time blaming Nature or God in the circumstances, it was, ultimately, man-made contributions that propelled the heavy rainfall to develop into a tsunami-like disaster that killed thousands of people. There were a number of causes that instigated the tragedy in Uttarakhand. The most major man-made contributions include: the absence of an early warning system, the state’s lack of a disaster management plan, unfortunate and unrestricted development along the river banks.
1. Absence of an Early Warning System and Lack of Disaster Management Plan
Disaster management is generally regarded as being the discipline of dealing with and avoiding both natural and manmade disasters. It involves preparedness, response and recovery in order to lessen the impact of disasters (see recognized headings set out in the Appendix). It may also involve preparedness training by private citizens. It is common in most countries to have systems in place that warn its citizens of upcoming natural threats. In this instance, however, evidently the major disaster and weather relief agencies in India failed to put into place “basic systems of warning, forecasting, monitoring and information dissemination that can greatly reduce disaster potential of any area.”[1] Uttarakhand still has no system in place to forecast cloud burst events, even though it would be relatively simple and affordable to do so, especially when it would mitigate harm to the citizens of the state.[2] In fact, there are not even reports on how much rain fell in specific locations during the crisis and there are no reports on what was done to alert the communities that were at risk.[3] The lack of research and knowledge on possible natural contributions to disaster, coupled with the lack of a forecasting system, is a travesty, especially in an area that is still so vulnerable to natural disaster.
The Uttarakhand government’s inability to contain the devastating outcome of the flash floods was a direct result of the state’s unpreparedness, and utter refusal to become prepared, in handling such disasters. In an area declared by the government as “eco-sensitive,” it is appalling that there was no disaster management plan in place.[4] It seems the Uttarakhand government was so focused on developing the area and making it more appealing for tourism that they ignored the dysfunction of their disaster management plan. In fact, two months prior to the Uttarakhand crisis, the Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) of India had submitted a report to the Indian Parliament highlighting that the Uttarakhand disaster management authority (SDMA) had not formulated a plan nor any rules for disaster management in the state.[5] The SDMA had formed in 2007 and still had not formulated a disaster management plan in 2013.[6] Furthermore, as of September 2012, the SDMA had not even met since its institution in 2007, and it had only fulfilled 66 posts out of the required 117.[7]
Each government authority that has been brought up in the hindsight debate for “what could have been done” passes blame to another government authority. The National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) blamed the India Meteorological Department for not providing a more precise forecast for the rains that contributed to the flash floods in the area.[8] As previously stated, the lack of an early warning system was definitely a large contributor; however, the NDMA itself also acted negligently in its duties. The NDMA was created to oversee the disaster management progress at the state level. It was meant to implement proper disaster management plans and enforce them at the state level.[9] However, the NDMA had no control over nor any information on the progress at the state level, and the NDMA never followed up with Uttarakhand to confirm that there was a plan in place.[10]
The Uttarakhand state is no stranger to natural disasters, which makes it even more troubling that disaster management was being so thoroughly ignored in this area. In just August of 2012, the Uttarkashi district of Uttarakhand dealt with a similar incidence that left 29 dead.[11] After this tragedy, the Uttarakhand government declared that it would strictly regulate development along the river, which went unsupported by action.[12] Similarly, in September 2012, Okhimath (one of the centermost areas of the Uttarakhand crisis) struggled with landslides that killed 69 people.[13] This area has faced monsoon-related natural disasters seven times within the last 34 years, all of which involved multiple deaths of citizens.[14] If implemented, the prohibitions of development along the river basins could have saved many lives, sadly, the government and developers chose to ignore them.
It would be unfair to say that there were not efforts put in place, however superficial. In June 2008, the Government of India purchased two Dopple Radars; however, by 2012 the radars were still not installed and it was later reported that they could not be installed due to the “non-availability of land.”[15] Likewise, in 2004, the government purchased Airbone Laser Terrain Mapping and Digital Camera System, however the survey covered less than 10 percent of flood prone areas and the government stopped conducting these surveys in 2010.[16] Report No. 5 of the Comptroller and Auditor General of India highlights the ineptitude of all of the proposed disaster management programs in Exhibit A attached to this proposal.[17] There were seven programs put into place, including the: National Database for Emergency Management (NDEM); Airbone Laser Terrain Mapping and Digital Camera System; Disaster Management Synthetic Aperture Radar; Satellite Based Communication Network for Disaster Management; Doppler Weather Radars; National Disaster Communication Network; and the National Disaster Management Informatics System.[18] Every single one of the projects is incomplete.[19]
It seems that there are efforts to mitigate the damage that has occurred in Uttarakhand and to research further the effects of hydroelectric projects on the local environment. In August 2013, the Supreme Court prohibited the Union Ministry of Environment and Forest (MoEF) and the State of Uttarakhand from granting any future forest clearances to aid hydroelectric power projects in Uttarakhand.[20] The Supreme Court also directed the MoEF to create an “expert body” to research the impact hydroelectric power projects have had on the local environment degradation.[21] The researchers are to study what effects the hydroelectric power projects had on the Uttarakhand Crisis, as well as whether the projects are “causing a significant impact on the biodiversity of the [local] river basins.”[22] Past projects, prohibitions, and efforts to preserve the environment of India have proved ineffective and largely disregarded, hopefully these new rulings will ensure that some efforts come to fruition.
2. Unrestricted Development
The failure of any early warning system and the lack of any disaster management action plan are both systematic procedures that should have been implemented prior to the disaster. The indiscriminate development in the hill towns, illegal encroachment taking place along the rivers, adverse human activities like deforestation, mining, quarrying, blasting, drainage, disruption, and slope modification, all could have been prevented had laws been put in place and followed.[23]The situation in Uttarakhand reveals total unpreparedness and uncontrolled development along vulnerable terrains. Uttarakhand, an area within the Himalayas, has been designated a Seismic Zone 5 area, which is an area most prone to earthquakes in India.[24]This is an area that is very sensitive to natural disasters and, as such, protections against unrestricted development should have been put into place. However, the government was prioritizing development and increased tourism over the protection of their natural landscape, sacred areas, and citizens.
Since 2002, there has been a ban on building within 100 meters of the river beds of the Bhagirathi, however the ban was not enforced, and road construction, hotel construction, and hydroelectric projects were still underway.[25] The government refused to declare Uttarakhand, a historically environmentally-fragile area, a protected area until 2012. In 2012, the government declared Uttarakhand, specifically the area along the Bhagirathi river from Gangotri to Uttarkashi, an “Eco-Sensitive Zone,” which meant that no development was permitted there.[26] However, in May 2013, Chief Minister Vijay Bahugana met with the Prime Minister and asked that the declaration be repealed, further illustrating government resistance. Bahugana argued that it would deny the area much needed development and would restrict the number of tourists, affecting the state’s economy.[27] Although tourism is a necessary evil for the economic development of any country, the Indian government proceeded to use a blind-eye towards the safety of its State’s environment and people for far too long.
The Uttarakhand Crisis should serve as a wake-up call to the Indian government. It is high time that they start practicing the same type of respect towards their landscape as the people that live in balance with the environment. Conservation efforts need to be put in place immediately, and funding support must also come from the government (see further below).
3. Traditional Understanding and the Chipko Movement Case Study
The sanctity of the Himalayan region – the sacred forests and the flowing Ganga – has been recognised for centuries by the Vedic Tradition and the spiritual texts. As Svamiji has emphasised:
“The Himalayan Mountains are not ordinary mountains and the Ganga is no ordinary river. These two demand respect. When they are invoked we invoke the energy of Creation. Mysticism, wisdom and creative energy are invoked by the names themselves.”
According to the Vedic tradition, the Himalayas are much more than a majestic mountain range that extends in a 2,410-km curve across South Asia. It is not only a home to rare sanative herbs or a haven, but also as an abode of gods. Indeed the Himalayas have been described as devatma or God-souled. It is said that the Sacred River Ganga that flows through India tumbles down from the heavens to the Earth falling first onto the head of GodShiva to soften the impact. In this context the mountains of the Himalayas are Shiva personified. The melting snow from the mountain peaks form rivulets that consolidate into the major rivers that fall thence to bring life to the arid plains below. The River Ganges or Ganga is perhaps the holiest river in any faith. Indeed, the ancient Gangacivilisation survives and lives on. Ganga originates from the Gangotri glacier at Gaumukh in the Indian Himalayasat 4,100 meters above sea level, and flows 2,525 km across northern India before meeting the Bay of Bengal in the east India and Bangladesh. As a river, the Gangacontributes to more than 25 percent of India’s total water resources. Most holy of all the rivers, the Ganga is considered pure and sacred, a holy Tirtha – meaning water sanctified by the touch of a God, in this case God Shiva, the ancient name for one of the Trinity. According to legend, Shiva resides at the renowned Mount Kailas, also known as Mt. Meru (or Sumeru in ancient texts), the center of the world, and the most striking and unique mountain in the highlands.
The outside world is largely aware of the tallest peaks of the Himalayas – Everest, Annapurna, and the like which the egoistic mind of the modern age is motivated to “conquer” by ascending the summit. However the ancients, the religious pilgrims, and the devotees of Shiva pay homage to Mount Kailasa in a much different way – by circumambulating the sacred mountain. They would never consider desecrating the home of the Gods by setting foot on the mountain, much less attempting to climb to the summit. Perennially, devotees of the mystic mountain have been attracted from all areas of the globe. The Himalayan peaks have always held an attraction for seekers of knowledge who have come to renounce the world and meditate in the solitude of the mountains. Unfortunately today’s citizens of India have been affected by the modern world culture and many, especially in the large cities and urban areas, have tended to de-emphasize their cultural and spiritual heritage. This unfortunate trend has led to a clash between material and spiritual values. Instead, harmony should be achieved by reviewing the role of humans in the order of life and highlighting the importance of being responsible.
As regards biodiversity there is a vital role that India plays that was also discussed in my visit to Palampur regarding appropriate environmental understanding. She reportedly has:
- 12 % of world’s recorded flora;
- some 47,000 species of flowering and non-flowering plants;
- over 59,000 species of insects;
- 2500 species of fish; and
- 17,000 species of angiosperms that live in Indian forests.
In 1953, the Indian government nationalised the forests and most of the forest wood industry and non-wood forest products industry. Over the years, many rules and regulations were introduced in India. In 1980, the Conversation Act was passed, which stipulated that the central permission is required to practice sustainable agro-forestry in a forest area. Violations or lack of permits were made criminal offenses. Whereas the laws were intended to limit deforestation, conserve biodiversity and save wildlife, the intention was not matched by the actions that followed. After India had nationalized and heavily regulated forestry, neither investment aimed at sustainable forestry nor knowledge transfer followed. Deforestation increased, biodiversity diminished and wildlife dwindled. India’s rural population and impoverished families continued to ignore the laws passed in Delhi and to use the forests near them for sustenance and the Chipko Movement was born. Most detrimental was the industrialization that persisted. What emerged was the confrontation between two conflicting world views: one viewing nature simply as a commodity to be sold on the market and the other as something sacred and the basis of our life.
Indian forest types include tropical evergreens, tropical deciduous, swamps, mangroves, sub-tropical, montane, scrub, sub-alpine and alpine forests. These forests support a variety of ecosystems with diverse flora and fauna. Indian forests are more than trees and an economic resource. It should be emphasized that they are home to some of earth’s unique flora and fauna. Indian forests represent one of the 12 mega biodiverse regions of the world. India’s Western Ghats and Eastern Himalayas are amongst the 32 biodiversity hotspots on earth. Moreover Indian forests and wetlands serve as temporary home to many migrant birds.
The role of forests in the national economy and in ecology was further emphasized in the 1988 National Forest Policy, which focused on ensuring environmental stability, restoring the ecological balance, and preserving the remaining forests. Other objectives of the policy were meeting the need for fuelwood, fodder, and small timber for rural and tribal people while recognising the need to actively involve local people in the management of forest resources. Also in 1988, the Forest Conservation Act of 1980 was amended to facilitate stricter conservation measures. A new target was to increase the forest cover to 33% of India’s land area from the then-official estimate of 23%. In June 1990, the GOI adopted resolutions that combined forest science with social forestry, that is, taking account of the socio cultural traditions of the local people. The cumulative area afforested during the 1951-91 period was nearly 179,000 square kilometres. However, despite large-scale tree planting programs forestry was one area in which India regressed post independence. Annual fellings at about four times the growth rate were a major cause. In addition, the 1988 National Forest Policy noted, the forested area has been shrinking as a result of land cleared for farming and development programmes.
Meanwhile in 1969, forestry in India underwent a major change with the passage of the Forest Rights Act, a new legislation that sought to reverse the “historical injustice” to forest dwelling communities that resulted from the failure to record their rights over forest land and resources. It also sought to bring in new forms of community conservation. The Chipko movement (“Chipko”) in India started in the 1970s around a dispute on how and who should have a right to harvest forest resources as a self help action group. Although the Chipko movement no longer remains active in Uttarakhand, the Indian state of its origin, it survives as one of the most frequently cited examples of an environmental and a people’s movement. The background to Chipko is now a subject of debate; some neopopulists theorise Chipko as an environmental movement and an attempt to save forests, while others suggest that Chipko movement was not to do with eco-conservation, but was driven primarily to demand equal rights to harvest forests by local communities. My experience when I stayed with Sunderlal Bahuguna was one of dedication and reverence for the forest and awareness raising through peaceful activity. We enjoyed a wonderful village mela in which we recited poems and the Chipko poem or folk song was voiced as a prayer:
“What does the forest bear
Soil, water and pure air
Soil, water and pure air
Are the basis of life.”
Since the early 1970s, as they realised that deforestation threatened not only the ecology but their livelihood in a variety of ways, people have become more interested and involved in conservation. It was the best known popular activist movement in which local women under the leadership of Chandi Prasad Bhattand Sunderlal Bahuguna, who campaigned in the Gandhi tradition, decided to fight the government and the vested interests to save trees. The women declared that they would embrace – literally “to stick to” trees (chipkna in Hindi) – if any industrialist attempted to cut down ash trees in their district. They decided to hug the trees to protect them s the word “chipko” literally also means “to hug.” Since initial activism in 1973, the movement spread and became an ecological movement leading to similar actions in other forest areas. The movement slowed down the process of deforestation, exposed vested interests, increased ecological awareness, and demonstrated the viability of people power. The case study of the Chipko movement demonstrates that forests in India are a vital and integral resource for communities that live within these forests, or survive near the fringes of these forests.
It has been also observed that between 1990 and 2010, as evidenced by satellite data, India has reversed the deforestation trend. FAO reports that India’s rate of forest addition has increased in recent years, and as of 2010, it is the third fastest in the world in increasing forest cover. The 2009 Indian national forest policy document emphasizes the need to combine India’s effort at forest conservation with sustainable forest management. India defines forest management as one where the economic needs of local communities are not ignored, rather forests are sustained while meeting a nation’s economic needs and local issues through scientific forestry. This aspect of integral and responsible management is an area that will be considered further in the context of the progress of this proposal, along with consideration of other comparative international and sensitive approaches and the role of key stakeholders.
4. WWF Nepal, An Example INGO Framework
According to their reports, WWF Nepal is doing a great deal implementing a plan to conserve the environment around the Himalayas in Nepal. Their main focus is to “conserve nature and ecological processes through a combination of actions on the ground, national and international advocacy work to establish appropriate policies, and international campaigns to highlight and demonstrate solutions to crucial environmental problems.”[28] They also look to increase the adaptive capacity of the people in the region to manage the negative impacts of the climate change.[29] The main working areas of WWF Nepal are: forests, climate change, conservation science and species, sustainable livelihood, and conservation education.[30]
In their approach towards climate change, WWF Nepal uses a three-step approach: (1) focuses on increasing its own, regional, and national understanding of climate change through research (this includes training and working with local scientists in understanding issues and educating local communities); (2) using renewable energy projects to create global carbon financing to “establish a sustainable financing mechanism for local communities; and (3) engaging in forest carbon issues to help create equal benefit sharing.[31]
In their approach towards foresting, the WWF has a high goal of “zero net deforestation and forest degradation in WWF priority places by 2020.”[32] WWF implements three approaches to ensure conservation: protect, manage, and restore.[33] These three pillars focus on: effective planning; organized management within the community; involvement of community stakeholders; creating buffer zones and community forest user groups; promoting green enterprises and jobs; promoting sustainable financing mechanisms; and control encroachment and reclaim areas.[34]
The State of Uttarakhand needs to establish a similar agency or work with WWF within its own region. Creating an agency that has specific officers and advocates will allow the State to implement the kinds of plans that are necessary to most positively impact the environment in the area. Local rallies are important, but having a legitimate agency that advocates on the behalf of local communities and environmentalists will be much more effective.
The Landscape of Uttarkhand
1. Sanctity of Landscape and Preservation
The Uttarakhand region is, as mentioned, one of the most beautiful and most varied ecological systems in the world. The region sits on the southern slope of the Himalayan range, and varies from glacial vegetation to areas of subtropical forests. As a result of this dichotomy of climates, there is an abundance of different types of species of animals and flora, which creates an unmatched physical beauty.
Travelling through this region, regardless of individual belief, is a rejuvenating and soul-enriching experience. The magnificent landscape allows one to view, in one glance, glacial mountains, shimmering lakes, rich tropical fauna, rock-studded valleys, streams of solid ice, hundreds of animals, and an all-consuming sky. The beauty of the region makes it easy to understand why it is so sacred to the local communities. In order to wholly appreciate Uttarakhand, it is essential to understand the meaning that the local people give to the landscape of the region. It is the respect for nature that is inherent in the traditional beliefs systems of the local people that is responsible for maintaining a harmonious equilibrium in the ecological environment that they live in.
The local people worship and conserve the surrounding landscape in many different ways. They practice various customs to continue the conservation and protection of the landscape, including: weaving the practice of sanctity into socio-religious values, customary taboos, and sanctions.[35] One of the most prevalent forms of worship and conservation is through sacred groves.[36]Sacred groves are the most common and ancient form of protecting biodiversity since the beginning of time in the Himalayan Region.[37] Sacred groves are forest areas that are protected by the local communities through social taboos. The groves are typically dedicated to a deity or ancestral spirit that looks over the grove and condemns anyone that tries to disturb it.[38] All forms of vegetation in the area are protected under that reigning deity, and “even the removal of a small twig is a taboo.”[39] There are more than 150,000 sacred groves in India, a great indication of how the natural habitat is revered by the local communities.[40] Another community in Uttarakhand worships Peepal trees in their village.[41] The trees were planted by their ancestors and they consider these trees to be family members.[42] Other sacred areas include: Bhujani, a sacred forest that remains the only refuge for the endangered species of Musk deer; the sacred forest of Maanthaat which villagers can only enter once a year during a celebration of the deity; the sacred forest of Madhkeshwar, which only allows entrance once every 70 years.[43] These areas are all defined as sacred natural sites (“SNS”) or “areas of land or water having special spiritual significance to peoples and communities.”[44] SNS have important biodiversity conservation values. Most of these sites prohibit the cutting down of trees or even entrance into the area – consequently, the areas are rich in diversity of species and are huge for conservation.[45] It is apparent through these customs how much the people in the Uttarakhand area revere the environment and ecological systems of their area in the Himalayas.
Even though local villages practice many customs to protect the environment, as indicated some areas have still become exploited, which has led to a drastic change in the climate of the region and resulted in conflicts between the villagers and animals, and a depletion of water sources.[46] However, instead of surrendering to the environmental crises, the local people stood up and rallied for their sacred environment. Consequently, the local people developed a strategy to dedicate parts of their forests to a local deity. They then developed regulations surrounding the forest, including sanctions, how long the forest will be deemed sacred, whether people can enter such a region, etc. This strategy has proven to work extremely well because the people in the region have such a great fear of invoking the wrath of the deity, and as a result, they do not violate any of the rules, and the forest area is preserved.[47] It is obvious through these examples that the Uttarakhand people have an extremely symbiotic relationship with nature, as it provides them with products for survival as well as a spiritual connection to something tangible.
2. Education and Awareness Campaign
Numerous challenges have arisen that threaten the livelihood of the sacred landscape of Uttarakhand. These challenges include: construction of dams, roads, and buildings; shifting values from preservation to economic fortitude; and diminishing of traditional beliefs due to modernization.[48] Another threat is the increased visitation by pilgrims and tourists, and the associated commercialism.[49] There is also a change in attitude due to the loss of pride in place of origin and the stories and history associated with the local region. The rejection of traditional belief systems, especially by young people, is partly caused by current mainstream education approaches.
A common theme throughout these threats is the ignorance or diminishing of local values, traditions, and beliefs concerning the sanctity of the environment. In order to remedy this situation, it is apparent that one thing in particular is needed: education. People, local and from outsider the area, need to be educated on the sacredness of the area. If they understand and appreciate how sacred the land of Uttarakhand is, it is probable that they will treat it with much more respect.
An awareness campaign to educate people through community participation would be the most ideal response to these threats and this is central to the proposal referred to further below. Local villagers along with students and environmentalists could work side-by-side to implement an education system to create an understanding of the traditions and beliefs to foreigners, tourists, and younger villagers who may have been exposed to modernization. In order to implement this plan, necessary tools should be put in place, such as:
- A local “Awareness Campaign” body, which acts as the governing body for education;
- Locals and environmentalists should make up this governing body to ensure that people are receiving correct knowledge on how to preserve and treat the environment;
- Training to local people as nature guides of the area
- These nature guides will provide history and background on the area, describe traditions, and tell folk tales relevant to the area;
- Guidelines and pamphlets to be given to tourists and pilgrims before entering the area;
- Local nature routes with proper signage, indicating where to go and what not to disturb; and,
- Another more extreme way to lessen numbers and, consequently, devastation, would be to impose a tax on visitors, especially during the summer and monsoon months when pilgrimages increase.
3. Eco-Towns
The many villages that make up Uttarakhand were initially set up to develop into self-preserving communities, totally dependent on their surrounding environment and their people. Their food and employment would stem from the environment which the Himalayas provided, and because the citizens of the area knew how to treat and respect the plants, vegetation, and animals, the capacity would never become depleted. However, as pilgrimages to the various sacred temples in the area became more popular, tourism and development inevitably followed. Foreign minds, in particular, were not aware of how to treat the vegetation in the area, and as such, the environment is being mistreated and devastated. Furthermore, as was discussed earlier, unrestricted development of new roads and buildings created mass destruction to the Himalayas and the surrounding environment. In order to quell this rapid depletion of the natural landscape, certain steps need to be taken. Although further development is frowned upon, if development is necessary, it should be implemented in the form of eco-villages, very much in the style of Vedic villages, whose existence are carefully sanctioned and monitored by those who understand the significance of the region and the truly sacred tradition.
The fundamental principle behind eco-villages is sustainability.[50] Eco-villages propose to complement the natural landscape of the region, provide ample employment opportunities, biodiversity, soil absorption capacity (reduces threat from flash-flooding). This development would essentially reinvigorate the existing communities by drawing on the fabric of the local tradition and infrastructure to build a sustainable lifestyle and community.[51]
Stakeholder involvement is the key to ensure community involvement and acceptance.[52] It is important that the local communities are engaged in the decision-making process of designing the new town and providing any insight to development process and how to keep in harmony with the landscape. It is extremely important that these local communities do not feel as though the eco-village has been imposed upon them, in contrast, they should feel a sense of control in the project. The local citizens have the most intimate knowledge of the landscape and how it reacts to certain developments. They would provide invaluable insight into the development of these villages, and should be treated accordingly.
Environmental Action
The landscape of Uttarakhand and the Himalayas is not solely revered for its beauty and sanctity, but also because of the many benefits it brings to the world as a whole. The area supports thousands of medicinal plants, many of which have not even been discovered or completely understood yet. Cures for diseases could be hiding in any one of these plants, and in order to reap those benefits, the environment of the area must be preserved and protected. Furthermore, as climate change continues to become more unbalanced, it is extremely important to preserve as much natural landscape as possible to further our ecological and climate stability.
Humans tend to exploit the environment until it is completely barren, and then, after the fact, realize that the situation must be remedied. We devastate our environments and continue to disturb them. Why not, instead, let the environment be? Let natural landscapes breathe, let them be devoid of human touch, let them ebb and flow with the environment as they should. In order to allow our world to save some of its beauty and sanctity, humans need to back away and allow our natural landscapes some room to flourish on their own.
As the Center for Science and the Environment [“CSE”] has concluded, what really compounded the disaster—made it truly man-made—is the scale of development intervention in the past decade or so. This Himalayan region has seen unchecked construction activity, illegal and legal mining, unscientific road building and, of course, hydropower projects built next to each other. In Kedarnath, large-scale construction has been done on the land evacuated by glacier in the past few years. It is small wonder that the water, moraine and stones came crashing down and took all with it. Many human lives were lost that morning and families shattered. This is the deadly and painful cost of environmental mismanagement. Will we learn from this? Will we learn how to live with the excesses and shortages of water, particularly in the fragile Himalayan ecosystem? Will we learn that extreme rain conditions will require us to build a new water culture?
In 1991, environmentalist Anil Agarwal, who the Writer knew personally, after much research for the publication, Flood, Flood Plains and Environmental Myths, brought to attention facts then considered inconvenient. He wanted to understand why floods occurred, with greater intensity, in the plains of India. The common perception was deforestation in the Himalayas caused floods in the plains. Planting trees upstream would “fix” the problem. His research showed that the Himalayas were geologically dynamic, prone to landslides, which would in turn block rivers and create natural dams. The bursting of these dams made of rubble, stone and silt, would wreak havoc downstream. He then went on to argue that we needed to consider a Himalayan policy that took into account the fragility and vulnerability of the region. By then, road activity had started to scar the hills and landslides were increasing. This, in turn, was making it more dangerous for people to live there.
His message was direct and clear: stop blaming the people living in the Himalayas for the floods in the Indo-Gangetic plains. Instead, focus on building a management system to live with floods, to harvest the excess water in ponds, tanks and groundwater recharge systems. It was, in his view, the willful destruction of the flood plains through unchecked construction of buildings and drainage systems that had exacerbated floods. The Himalayas, he said, would remain vulnerable to landslides and flash floods and development would not work if it did not take into account the true nature of the region. Learn, therefore, to live with the hazards of the Himalayas. As he also urged, the bottom line is that we need to learn to live with nature and not have the temerity to think that we can overcome it. As we sadly witness the devastation and loss of lives, Agarwal’s messages resonate at this time. The future will be even more uncertain and riskier because of extreme weather events and mismanagement of resources. The way ahead is to respect the vulnerability of the region… Only then will the Himalayan tragedy not be repeated. Moreover, the responsible and proactive and empathetic approach that the Vedas guide are appropriate and should be understood.
Key Quotation
“Mother Nature has lent us the five elements –
Earth, fire, water, air and space –
Entrusting us with the responsibility to use them wisely
Until the loan is due for repayment.”
Sri Svami Purna: “The Truth Will Set You Free”
The Proposal
In view of the sanctity of this region, as mentioned, visitors must be fully trained, attuned with and aware of its significance, demonstrating appropriate respect and reverence. It is of course vital to balance various interests including:
- the role of the pilgrimage as part of one’s individual spiritual quest;
- the spiritual destiny of India as a whole; and
- the karmic consequences if lessons are not learned by this disaster.
This incident indeed has lessons for the planet as a whole. There is no doubt that the Vedic, Natural Law and legal traditions have been sufficiently developed for many decades and centuries: the issue is the practical implementation and enforcement of such principles and frameworks. Therefore we propose a comprehensive training program to take account of all stakeholders.
We must emphasise as a key point to which we refer in this discussion the unique role of the Himalayas and the River Ganga and the need to preserve their purity and to admit any failings in responsibility and make amends. With this in mind, instead of repopulating the area, alternative strategies should be followed that respect the place of these sacred mountains and their bio-diversity.
The region abounds with local people who instinctively understand the issues and they should be respected for their local knowledge. Any pilgrimages should be carefully planned and monitored and any form of tourism other than part of an individual spiritual quest should be stopped.
There are places throughout the world where disaster appears to hit time and again: the lesson should be understood that such regions should be kept in peace free from human greed and so called need. As Svamiji has recommended, areas such as wetland areas and areas of natural habitat and bio-diversity should be allowed to flourish.
Mountains should not be conquered but rather wondered at. We should reclaim our love and respect of all of creation in the spirit of humility and honesty. We would like to research a list of sacred places where an understanding of our role as coexisting rather than conquering can be a priority and the term stewardship should be debated and principles agreed.
We would like to call upon those in like mind to assist us with an education and training program as a force for good that can be exemplary beginning with this region and progressing elsewhere as a true precedent to uplift and give hope for the future generations, working with the local inhabitants and capacity building.
We should support this call for action to save the sanctity of the Himalayas by an action plan of training, publishing and interacting in dialogue with the local people and having regard to the spiritual tradition.
We would like to create a force or team of dedicated individuals representing various disciplines – an interdisciplinary local and international team – to keep the spiritual places intact and remind all of the environmental value system, by unannounced visits.
We will introduce Walking Meditation as a way of merging into the sanctity. We are all here in life to serve and learn and serve in true humility using whatever resources we may have and we should recall the gifts of life and nature and feel an individual connection and commitment and inspire others by way of a positive example as Svamiji teaches in harmony with the Law of Nature and the Spiritual Tradition.
We have already begun by establishing a presence in Rishikesh, where the Himalyas begin. Please join us and support our ongoing initiative.
The Appendix: Modern Disaster or Disaster Management Procedures Many tools have existed for some time to enable a proactive approach to risk. In contemporary academia, disasters are seen as the effect of hazards on vulnerable areas. Hazards that occur in areas with low vulnerability do not result in a disaster; as is the case in uninhabited regions (Quarantelli, 1998). Hence the need to consider carefully any populating of a vulnerable region such as Uttarakhand. Below are set out some generally accepted approaches to disaster management and a basic framework that is accepted and used in many places.
Disaster has been defined as a sudden, calamitous event bringing great damage, loss, and destruction and devastation to life and property. The damage caused by disasters is immeasurable and varies with the geographical location, climate and the type of the earth surface/degree of vulnerability. This influences the mental, socio-economic, political and cultural state of the affected area. Generally, disaster in this context completely disrupts the normal day to day life. Normal needs and processes like food, shelter, health, etc. are affected and deteriorate depending on the intensity and severity of the disaster. Indeed it negatively influences the emergency systems. It may also be termed as “a serious disruption of the functioning of society, causing widespread human, material or environmental losses which exceed the ability of the affected society to cope using its own resources.”
Thus, a disaster may have the following main features:
o Unpredictability o Unfamiliarity o Speed o Urgency o Uncertainty o Threat
Disaster Management is the discipline of dealing with and avoiding risks. It is a discipline that involves preparing, supporting, and rebuilding society when natural or human-made disasters occur. In general, any emergency management plan is the continuous process by which all individuals, groups, and communities manage hazards in an effort to avoid or ameliorate the impact of disasters resulting from the hazards. Actions taken depends in part on perceptions of risk of those exposed. Effective emergency management relies on thorough integration of emergency plans at all levels of government and non-government involvement. Activities at each level (individual, group, community) affect the other levels. It is common to place the responsibility for governmental emergency management with the institutions for civil defense or within the conventional structure of the emergency services. In the private sector, emergency management is sometimes referred to as business continuity planning.
Emergency Management and crisis management are related areas of risk management. Essentially, the term “crisis management” emphasizes the political and security dimension rather than measures to satisfy the immediate needs of the civilian population. Emergency management is generally dependent on economic and social conditions local to the emergency or disaster. Experts have also noted that the cycle of emergency management must include long-term work on infrastructure, public awareness, and human justice issues. This is particularly important in developing nations. The process of emergency management involves four phases: mitigation, preparedness, response, and recovery.
- Mitigation Phase
Mitigation efforts attempt to prevent hazards from developing into disasters altogether, or to reduce the effects of disasters when they occur. The mitigation phase differs from the other phases because it focuses on long-term measures for reducing or eliminating risk. The implementation of mitigation strategies are still generally considered a part of the recovery process if applied after a disaster occurs. However, even if applied as part of recovery efforts, actions that reduce or eliminate risk over time are still considered mitigation efforts.
Usually mitigative measures can be structural or non-structural. Structural measures use technological solutions, like flood levees. Non-structural measures include legislation, land-use planning such as the designation of nonessential land like parks to be used as flood zones, and insurance. Mitigation is the most cost-efficient method for reducing the impact of hazards. However, mitigation is not always suitable and structural mitigation in particular may have adverse effects on the ecosystem.
- Preparedness Phase
- Communication plans with easily understandable terminology and chain of command;
- Development and practice of multi-agency coordination and incident command proper maintenance and training of emergency services;
- Development and exercise of emergency population warning methods combined with emergency shelters and evacuation plans;
- Stockpiling, inventory, and maintenance of supplies and equipment;
- An efficient preparedness measure is an emergency operations center (EOC) combined with a practiced region-wide doctrine for managing emergencies; and
- A volunteer response capability among civilian populations. Since volunteer response is not as predictable and plannable as professional response, volunteers are most effectively deployed on the periphery of an emergency
- Response Phase
In addition volunteers and non-governmental organizations (NGOs) may provide immediate practical assistance, from first aid provision to providing food and drink. A well rehearsed emergency plan developed as part of the preparedness phase enables efficient coordination of rescue efforts. Emergency plan rehearsal is essential to achieve optimal output with limited resources. In the response phase, medical assets will be used in accordance with the appropriate triage of the affected victims. Where required, search and rescue efforts commence at an early stage.
- Recovery Phase
- Individual Activities
Unlike mitigation activities, which are aimed at preventing a disaster from occurring, personal preparedness focuses on preparing equipment and procedures for use when a disaster occurs, i.e. planning. Preparedness measures can take many forms including the construction of shelters, installation of warning devices, creation of back-up life-line services such as power, water, sewage, and rehearsing evacuation plans. Whereas the response phase of an emergency may commence with search and rescue, the focus will quickly move to fulfilling the basic humanitarian needs of the affected population. This assistance may be provided by national or international agencies and organisations. Effective coordination of disaster assistance is often crucial, particularly when many organisations respond and local emergency management agency (LEMA) capacity has been exceeded by the demand or diminished by the disaster itself. On a personal level, the response may involve a decision of staying confined at home or proceeding with an evacuation.
The recovery phase starts after the immediate threat to human life has subsided. During reconstruction it is recommended to consider the location or local construction material.
Click Below to View an Attachment from the Performance Audit of Disaster Preparedness in India:
Exhibit A
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[2] Id. SANDRP.
[3] Id. SANDRP.
[4] http://www.ndtv.com/article/india/uttarakhand-flood-disaster-natural-but-damage-man-made-381854
[5] http://news.oneindia.in/2013/06/24/u-khand-tragedy-cag-submits-report-1244367.html
[6] http://www.indiatogether.org/2013/jun/gov-disaster.htm
[7] Id. India Together
[8]Anisha Nair, http://news.oneindia.in/2013/06/24/u-khand-tragedy-cag-submits-report-1244367.html
[9]http://saiindia.gov.in/english/home/Our_Products/Audit_Report/Government_Wise/union_audit/recent_reports/union
_performance/2013/ Civil/Report_5/Report_5.html
[10]Id. Report No. 5. Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General of India.
[11] http://sandrp.wordpress.com/2013/06/21/uttarakhand-deluge-how-human-actions-and-neglect-converted-a-natural-phenomenon
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[12] Id.
[13] Id.
[14] Id.
[15] Id. India Together
[16] Id. India Together.
[17]http://saiindia.gov.in/english/home/Our_Products/Audit_Report/Government_Wise/union_audit/recent_reports/union
_performance/2013/ Civil/Report_5/Report_5.html
[18] Id. Report No. 5.
[19] Id. Report No. 5.
[20]Jagran Josh. http://www.jagranjosh.com/current-affairs/sc-directed-centre-state-governments-not-to-grant-clearance-to-hydropower-projects-1377001428-1
[21]Id. Jagran Josh.
[22]Id. Jagran Josh.
[23] http://nidm.gov.in/pdf/PROC%20ukw-13.pdf
[24] http://www.jagranjosh.com/current-affairs/uttarakhand-landslides-and-flood-a-man-made-crisis-1372680208-1
[25] Id. Jagran Josh
[26] http://www.ndtv.com/article/india/uttarakhand-flood-disaster-natural-but-damage-man-made-381854
[27] http://www.ndtv.com/article/india/uttarakhand-flood-disaster-natural-but-damage-man-made-381854
[28] http://www.wwfnepal.org/about_wwf/who_we_are_/
[29] http://www.wwfnepal.org/
[30] Id.
[31] http://www.wwfnepal.org/what_we_do/climate_change_in_nepal/
[32] http://www.wwfnepal.org/what_we_do/forest/
[33] Id.
[34] Id.
[35] Seema Dhaila-Adhikari and B.S. Adhikari, Conserving biodiversity through faith and beliefs in Kumaun Region, Uttarkahand.
[36] Id.
[37] Harsh Sing, et al. Biodiversity Conservation Through Traditional Beliefs System: A Case Study from Kumaon Himalays, India, International Journal of Conservation Science, Vol. 3:1, 33, 33 (March 2012).
[38] Seema Dhaila-Adhikari, Conserving Biodiversity.
[39] Harsh Sing, Biodiversity Conservation, at 33.
[40] Id.
[41] Seema Dhaila-Adhikari, Conserving Biodiversty.
[42] Id.
[43] Chandra Sing Negi, Culture and Biodiversity Conservation, Case Studies from Uttarakhand, Central Himalaya, Indian Journal of Traditional Knowledge, Vol. 11:2, 273, 275 (April 2012).
[44] Liza Higgins-Zagib, et al., The High Ground: Bio-cultural diversity and conservation of sacred natural sites in the Eastern Himalayas, 1, 2 (WWF 2012).
[45] Id.
[46] Seema, Conserving biodiversity.
[47] Id.
[48] Id.
[49] Higgins-Zagib, The High Ground, at 3.
[50] UK Environmental Law Association (UKELA), making the law work for a better environment, 3.
[51] Id. at 5.
[52] Id. 5.