Himachal Pradesh & Uttarakhand- Mountains Are Not Calling But Crying!

Called as ‘Devbhoomi’ or ‘Land of Gods,’ Himachal Pradesh & Uttarakhand are now facing the curse of God. Over the past two to three years, mainly these two states have been facing major landslides, frequent cloud bursts, loss of lives, and loss of property, which is very devastating.

Whose Fault Is It?

Many believe that it is the act of God, but really, is it so? Many experts have confirmed that it is due to human activities in the name of development. The extensive cutting of rocks at the foothills and irrelevant cutting of mountains for constructing roads or four lanes just to attract more tourists is considered the main reason for such a disaster.

The weather conditions are so severe here. Summers are extremely hot, the rainy season is too rainy, and winters are bone-chilling here! A few years back, the condition was not the same! The mountains were really welcoming, the temperature was also good in every weather, but due to irrelevant human activities, these states have become a land of disasters.

Over the years, major areas affected by the disaster are Solan, Shimla, Mandi, Chamba, Kinnaur in Himachal Pradesh, and Uttarkashi, Chamoli, Tehri Garhwal, and Pithoragarh in Uttarakhand.

People of Himachal Pradesh & Uttarakhand can only cry over the situation as the government has failed badly to take preventive measures to control it. Why are they not putting a full stop to these constructions? Why is tourism preferred over the lives of people? Why do common people always suffer? How these constructions are approved by the state governments even after knowing that these are special zones and very fragile zones. No one has the answer but only the questions!

But only the government should be blamed, or is someone else also responsible? The answer is yes, apart from the government, various businessmen who only aim to maximise their profits by building hotels, homestays, and other buildings to entertain more tourists are also responsible. They are not only risking the lives of tourists but also their own people.

Everyone knows and openly talks about this problem in Himachal Pradesh & Uttarakhand. But what are the solutions?

• The first step is to measure the soil of the area before constructing any building, whether it is a house, resort, or government building.

• Avoid making buildings near steep slopes, mountain edges, drainage, or naturally eroded valleys.

• Retaining walls should be made.

• Preplan an evacuation plan with an emergency kit.

• Be alerted during the rainy seasons.

• The government also needs to keep a strict check on construction and avoid approving unnecessary four-lane and road construction.

Let’s pray for the safety and healthy life of people of Himachal Pradesh & Uttarakhand. May all the souls who have lost their lives rest in peace, and god give strength to their family members to come out of such a trauma.

Reaction of Celebrities to the Disaster

Various Bollywood celebrities like Preity Zinta, Kangana Ranaut, Anupam Kher, Urvashi Rautela, Sara Ali Khan, Vivek Oberoi, and Bhumi Pednekar shared their grief on the loss of lives in such disasters.