The Nexus Which Has a Vice-Like Grip On Himalayan Economy
The calamity that has struck Uttarakhand and other parts of the Himalayas has brought in its wake destruction and misery on a scale which is unprecedented. While the causes of such extreme weather events may be natural, the severity of the impact of such events in terms of loss of life and property is entirely the outcome of ecologically and environmentally destructive activities promoted and justified in the name of ‘development’.
From the manic frenzy of construction activity, be it dams or roads or houses or urban complexes or tourism infrastructure, to the wanton cutting down of forests, to unregulated mining and quarrying, the depletion and pollution of rivers, lakes and natural wellsprings, the unchecked motorisation of transport — this perverse ‘growth’ model has been fuelled by a nexus between governments, political parties, and the contracting mafias which control forests, lands, mineral resources,…