We often perceive climate and environment as distinct entities, separate threads in the vast fabric of our planet.

Yet, in reality, they are an intricately woven tapestry, each strand inseparable, each shift in one profoundly altering the pattern of the other.

Nowhere is this delicate interplay, and the consequences of its disruption, more starkly visible than in the Himalayan state of Uttarakhand, a region where ecological fragility meets escalating human ambition.

The Reminiscence

My personal journey with this unfolding drama began nearly four decades ago, in 1988, when I traded the scorching plains of Allahabad (now Prayagraj) for the promised serenity of Dehradun.

Back then, the city was a verdant jewel, a haven known for its gentle climate where temperatures rarely dared to breach a comfortable threshold. Sweltering afternoons were almost invariably blessed with cooling showers, a natural rhythm that defined life.

Vehicles were a rare sight, their hum a mere whisper against the rustle of leaves, and air conditioning was a luxury few needed or possessed.

Open spaces abounded, trees stood as silent sentinels, and almost every home boasted a kitchen garden or a lush lawn, vibrant patches of green that breathed life into the city.

The British-era canals, engineering marvels in their own right, crisscrossed Dehradun, not just as charming waterways but as highly efficient stormwater drains, silently whisking away excess rain and rendering waterlogging a forgotten inconvenience.

The Turning Point

The turning point, ironically, arrived with a moment of aspiration – the creation of Uttarakhand in 2000, with Dehradun anointed as its temporary capital.

What should have been an opportunity for sustainable development became a catalyst for unchecked urban sprawl.

The historic canals were among the first casualties, their life-giving channels choked and paved over to make way for wider roads and the relentless surge of traffic. It was a decision made with a staggering lack of foresight, a blatant disregard for the city’s hydrology, its natural drainage patterns, and the delicate ecology of the Doon Valley.

No comprehensive studies were commissioned, no alarms were heeded; progress, it seemed, had to be paved in concrete.

Slowly, yet with an unnerving decisiveness, the Dehradun I knew began to vanish.

The open spaces, the leafy trees, the vibrant kitchen gardens, and the cool lawns receded like a fading dream.

In their place rose a concrete jungle, a relentless expanse of steel and cement with scant regard for the earth beneath.

The ground, once porous and welcoming to rainwater, was sealed, forcing precious water to become a destructive torrent on the surface.

More people meant more vehicles, and more vehicles spewed more pollutants into the air, cloaking the once-clear skies in a hazy shroud.

The Reality

The consequences are now our daily reality:

(i) Suffocating traffic congestion that frays nerves and wastes precious time;

(ii) Recurrent water logging that turns streets into mires even after moderate rainfall;

(iii) Temperatures that climb with an alarming consistency, making summers increasingly unbearable; and

(iv) An acute water shortage that mocks the memory of a city once blessed with abundant resources.

As if this litany of woes wasn’t enough, we now stand poised to sacrifice thousands more trees near the city, all for the dubious benefit of shaving a few minutes off the journey to the Jolly Grant airport – a stark testament to our skewed priorities.

Our Responsibility

Yet, we are a Himalayan state.

We proudly proclaim our 67% forest cover, a statistic that, while impressive on paper, masks a more complex reality.

We are the custodians of majestic glaciers, the lifeblood of North India, and the origin of perennial rivers like the Ganga and Yamuna, which sustain agriculture, industry, and countless households across the vast Indo-Gangetic plains.

We rightly boast of providing immense ecological services to the nation and often, with a sense of entitlement, assert our claim for a ‘Green Bonus‘ – compensation for preserving these vital ecosystems.

Our Actions

But how green is really our own footprint?

We are busy devastating the ecosystem in the name of growth, development, economy and prosperity?

But then, this reckless development is catering to whose economic growth, welfare  and prosperity? Not really the natives of the state! And  this is the  Yaksh Prashn no one is in a position to address.

To add to it, we in Uttarakhand are busy building roads, rails, dams and others, and that too in a fragile, ecologically sensitive and disaster prone region.

Moreover, we have no policies or intentions to restrict or regulate construction, debris disposal, development, vehicular traffic, tourism, pollution or pilgrimage.

Deforestation

The past two decades have witnessed the tragic loss of over 50,000 hectares of our precious forests, sacrificed at the altar of ‘development‘.

Mining operations have devoured 17.5% of this green cover, while road construction has claimed another 15.1%. Power distribution lines and ambitious hydropower projects have further fragmented our wilderness.

Dehradun district, the very heart of the state, ironically accounts for a staggering 42.6% of this forest loss, with Haridwar following at 13.7%.

These aren’t just statistics; but these do certainly represent lost habitats, diminished biodiversity, and a weakened defence against climate change.

Debris Disposal

Compounding this ecological assault is our abysmal lack of a debris disposal policy.

Every developmental activity, be it road construction, tunnelling, or building  construction, generates colossal amounts of debris that is excavated out the hill slopes.

For every single kilometer of new road carved into our fragile hills, an estimated 50 mature trees are felled, and a staggering 18,000 cubic meters of debris is produced.

With 800 to 1,000 kilometers of new roads being constructed every single year in Uttarakhand, we are systematically unleashing 1.5 to 2.0 crore cubic meters of debris and sacrificing 40,000 to 50,000 trees each year.

This debris, almost invariably and calamitously, is simply pushed downslope, a ticking time bomb for the ecosystems below. And it multiplies the devastating potential of floods that  are becoming all the more frequent in the Himalayan region due to climate change induced extreme weather events.

This cascading mountain of rubble ultimately finds its way into our rivers, leading to relentless aggradation of riverbeds. The immediate consequence? An enhanced flood vulnerability for riverside habitations, turning once-safe communities into flood vulnerable communities.

Furthermore, this sediment chokes our reservoirs, drastically reducing their productive lifespan and undermining our investments in hydropower, irrigation, drinking water and flood safety.

Glacier Recession

Simultaneously, the relentless rise in global and local temperatures is causing an accelerated recession of our glaciers. These frozen sentinels, the very source of our life-giving rivers, are shrinking at an alarming rate.

This isn’t just an ecological tragedy; it’s a direct threat to the water and food security of the densely populated Indo-Gangetic plains and a critical blow to our hydropower generation capacity, which ironically, is often cited as a ‘clean’ development alternative.

Unchecked Tourism

As if these internal pressures weren’t enough, the boom in unrestricted tourism and pilgrimage, while economically beneficial to some, exacts a heavy toll.

The sheer volume of visitors, coupled with inadequate infrastructure, leads to mountains of solid waste, rampant vehicular pollution spewing black carbon, and immense pressure on fragile ecosystems.

This black carbon, settling on glaciers, further accelerates their melt.

We are, in essence, loving our mountains to death.

The Path to Redemption

The challenges are immense, but despair is a luxury we cannot afford. Uttarakhand stands at a critical juncture, and the way forward requires firm political will, decisive action and a paradigm shift from reckless exploitation to responsible stewardship, wherein we must:

Define the Limits of Expansion

We need to urgently establish clear, ecologically sound limits for road construction in the hills.

We need to accept that not every slope can bear a road, and not every village and hamlet in the Himalayas can be provided access to a highway.

A moratorium in highly sensitive zones should therefore be considered.

Contextualize Construction

We need to implement site-specific building bye-laws that respect the local topography, geology, and ecological sensitivity.

Uniform, plains-centric regulations are disastrous in the mountains.

We also need to promote traditional, eco-friendly building materials and construction techniques.

To start with aa decision can be taken to construct all state infrastructure in alignment with traditional architecture utilising locally available building material.

Mandate Debris Management

We need to formulate and strictly enforce a comprehensive debris disposal policy. This must include designated disposal sites, penalties for violations, and incentives for recycling and reuse of debris.

The “push it downslope” mentality must end.

Confront the Waste Crisis

We need to develop and implement robust, decentralised solid waste management systems, especially in tourist and pilgrimage centers. This should include waste segregation, recycling facilities, and scientific landfilling where unavoidable.

We also need to promote the “zero-waste” concept.

Curb Vehicular Emissions

We in Uttarakhand need to enforce stricter emission norms, promote public transport, and invest in infrastructure for electric vehicles, particularly in urban areas and eco-sensitive zones.

We also need to consider congestion charges in overburdened areas.

Regulate and Rationalise Tourism

We really need to move beyond a purely numbers-driven approach to tourism and urgently implement a carrying capacity-based system for popular destinations and pilgrimage sites.

Promotion of responsible, low-impact eco-tourism that benefits local communities and preserves natural heritage is therefore a must.

We also need to impose strict penalties for littering and environmental damage.

Rejuvenate and Reforest

We need to undertake massive, scientifically-planned afforestation drives using native species, particularly in degraded areas and catchment zones.

We thus need to focus on ecological restoration, not just tree plantation targets.

Strengthen Research and Monitoring

At the same time we need to invest in robust scientific research to understand the localised impacts of climate change and to monitor the health of our glaciers, forests, and rivers.

This data must then inform policy.

Empower Local Communities

Last but not the least, we need to involve local communities in conservation efforts and ensure they benefit from sustainable tourism and resource management.

Their traditional knowledge is an invaluable asset.

The future of Uttarakhand, and indeed the ecological security of a significant part of India, hinges on the choices we make today. We must look beyond short-term gains and embrace a vision where development and environment are not adversaries, but partners in progress.

The unraveling tapestry can be rewoven, but it requires a collective will, unwavering commitment, and a profound respect for the fragile beauty and immense power of the Himalayas.