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It may sound strange but the fact remains that Himachal Pradesh known for its snow-capped mountains, rivers and streams, is now facing an unprecedented drought-like situation. The state has recorded 70 per cent deficiency in rainfall since January. There was not much snowfall either. The farming community of the state has demanded urgent intervention from the government to protect their livelihood. The state chief secretary has already instructed various departments to prepare action plans to ward off the threat. As per government records, 4,13,134 hectares of cropped area has severely been affected. Places like Bilaspur, Chamba and Kangra have recorded maximum damage. The prolonged dry spell has wilted the tea leaves in Kangra Valley. Apple production has badly been hurt in Kullu Valley due to the absence of enough chill in the air. Along with Apple and tea, production of wheat and vegetables have also been affected. All these will have a serious impact on the state's economy.
It will be a grave mistake if we treat this situation as a localised phenomenon. Over the years, the Himalayan region has shown erratic weather patterns. Global warming may be one of the reasons behind such a change in weather. But at the same time, it should not be forgotten that on the pretext of development, we have harmed the Himalayas. We have tortured the Himalayas by various means, we have indulged in unplanned urbanisation, paved way for erosion of soil by cutting trees and have deliberately changed the course of rivers to produce hydel power. While doing all these we intentionally forget that the ecology of the Himalayas is very fragile. If we continue to damage the ecology of the Himalayas in such a manner we are inviting a huge disaster in the near future.
Today’s drought-like situation in Himachal Pradesh is a result of our reluctance to love and respect nature. We have virtually looted the Himalayas. This is why all important rivers in the Kangra Valley namely Neugal, Binwa and Baner are almost dry now. Shortage of water in these rivers has affected over 200 water supply schemes. In Palanpur, the water level has receded by 30 per cent. More worrying is the fact that in many places, farmers are trying to use groundwater by installing tubewells. If such a practice gains popularity, it will cause more harm than good to the Himalayas.
Clearly, the alarm bell has started ringing. The Himalayan range has been expressing its displeasure over repeated human destruction. Destruction of nature caused the Kedarnath disaster, sudden flood in Rishi Ganga and devastation of Srinagar by flood in Jhelum to name a few. Still we refuse to learn any lessons from these tragic incidents. Time is surely running out. Himalayas not only stand as a sentinel in our northern boundary, but is also responsible for making India one of the most fertile lands in the world. If such rampant destruction of nature continues it may soon turn India into a barren land. Thus if we cannot save the Himalayas, we will not be able to save India too.