Rampant destruction is happening in the name of indiscriminate development

In the name of indiscriminate development we are ruining our precious tourism treasure

India's domestic tourism sector has been undergoing a complete transformation in the last two decades due to better roads and better air connectivity as well as the growing affluence of the middle class. Now many monuments and tourist spots are seeing more domestic tourists than foreign tourists. However, this trend was evident even before Corona. However, it is sad to see that the condition of our popular tourist destinations is rapidly deteriorating due to the unresolved tension between conservation and development. Which is an irreparable loss of the most important capital asset of the industry.

The irony of conservation and development is that so much is often lost in such efforts. Recently, a two-day Global Investors Conference was organized in Dehradun, the capital of Uttarakhand, a new trend of competitive federalism. Dehradun came to a complete standstill due to the incident. However, the state later announced that it would get about Rs. 3.5 lakh crore investment proposals have been received, which is Rs. 2 lakh crore is much more than the target.

It is not a big deal to calculate the figures of billions and trillions after such global investor conferences organized by states. Additionally, businesses (some of which are truly global) come under pressure to make big promises that they really have no intention of keeping, but this conference was alarming in that sense. Because, on the last day of the event, government sources said that Uttarakhand is a better state to protect the environment and engage amicably with industries. Now it remains to be seen how Uttarakhand will be able to connect with industry to protect the environment.

Any tourist coming to this state does not see eco friendly things at first sight. 86 percent of Uttarakhand's area lies in the world's most fragile and earthquake-prone mountainous region. Apart from this, 65 percent of its area is surrounded by forests. When Uttarakhand was formed about 24 years ago, it inherited natural beauty and the state's pride was the ancient temples present amidst the wonderful natural scenery of the mountains, these hills are loaded with dams which have increased to 14 in number. .Primarily industrial investment is made in this sector. These dams are being built for the purpose of generating electricity, but they are also becoming a threat to human life.

Due to the better road, rail and air network in Uttarakhand, the pilgrimage to Char Dham has become easier, due to which a large number of devotees are coming here. Huge crowds are gathering at these four religious places and the local bodies have neither the manpower nor the resources to manage this huge crowd and waste. The land of Joshimath, the main city of ancient temples, is rapidly sinking and Nainital and Uttarkashi are also under threat. The recent Silkyara tunnel disaster is a warning sign but it was not enough to open eyes.

Large tracts of forests are being cut and blasted here to make roads and tunnels in the unstable mountains. The whole situation has become extremely dangerous due to these activities as well as the melting of glaciers due to rapid climate change. The results of all this are already visible. Certainly, haphazard development cannot benefit the people.