Forestry with Water conservation – Series 6

Hi! Everyone,

As I mentioned in my last post that I will be highlighting my thoughts on Uttarakhand recurring catastrophe why its occurring and how to manage it in long term.

Its true that adverse effects of Climate change are the biggest factor causing Uttarakhand catastrophe and  that can be understood at Macro level. Severe and very heavy cloud bursts followed by consistent heavy rains have resulted into repetitive havocs and loss of human lives every year.

When this occurs Govt., Environmentalists and NGOs get active for a short period as and when Monsoon gets over and life becomes normal all vanish into blue and forget about the damages and their concern to repair and revive.

Since 2013 this has become a regular phenomenon and I am afraid after one or 2 more severe catastrophe this may become a talk and start  appreciating local people and complementing them that how these people have adjusted to this adverse climatic condition and may become case study depicting how to survive during such severe conditions in mountains.

Finally who will be biggest sufferers, of course the local inhabitants, every year they will continue to lead a life of fear and uncertainty.  The heavy surface run off with Soil and mud will continue to flow with Ganga, Yamuna and Alaknanda resulting in heavy siltation with reducing water holding capacity of dams and check dams every where. Thus improper management or mismanagement at one place will cascade or multiply many uncontrolled and unfavorable chain reactions at every locations.

All this is happening at the origins of these rivers which is more detrimental and should be cause of concern to all of us.

What people talk, write and publish that Himalayan ranges are fragile with poor soil stability of the slopes our mismanagement and  mishandling of these places is the biggest factor responsible for this.

The basic and most fundamental concept of Watershed management and Soil Conservation is missing in managing Uttarakhand catastrophe.

One should explore that how this has resulted.

India where population is biggest asset but its also the biggest menace as we have limited resources and to sustain we look for fresh and pristine avenues and keep on expanding to the regions which were virgins at one time  and get exploited for human greed, Uttarakhand and Himachal are one of those regions thus I say these man-made factors that have compounded the scale of the disaster without proper planning and without considering its far reaching adverse impacts.

For a meaningful economy to grow an inclusive growth is a  must. Inclusive means holistic development of local people with conserving and protecting micro environment of that area. For Himachal and Uttarakhand tourism is the backbone of their economy thus construction of roads and hotels becomes the need of this industry to accommodate ever increasing pilgrimage and leisure tourism but road construction doesn’t follow the right guidelines resulting land slides and even damage of roads. I’ll not show the damages happened rather I would like to concentrate on the solutions and the actions to control these happenings.

Solutions which are being suggested can be classified into immediate/urgent (high cost impact) and long term sustaining (low cost impact) but slow in its effectiveness.

Immediate ones : To understand strategic and high impact locations, intervention at these locations will immediately control the damages and boost conservation. Timing of the interventions with locations is very important to keep the cost under control and to ensure its effectiveness. Planning to happen much before the monsoon leaving execution immediately after monsoon ie by Sept end. One structural concept is mentioned through below mentioned photograph though its costly affair but in long term its only the solution. If we wait for its greening through vegetative intervention and its stabilization it will take time and may get damaged with every severe downpour. Thus leading the impact with similar to what shown in below photograph and after its execution in its catchment low cost measure like greening with suitable grasses and planting broad leaves plants like Oaks etc and all which reduce the impact of heavy rain on the ground will reduce surface run off and as well stabilize the soil in the long run.

A meticulous planning from the source where maximum impact happens every year and the impacted areas can be divided into high to low impact zones and 3-5 year long term plan can be developed. First two years can be devoted fully to civil structures with vegetation supporting the same.
Simultaneously conservation of local vegetation to be encouraged first with suitable moisture conservation measures at various and strategic locations and gradients. First to be dealt at high point and later moving down gradually. Higher gradients can have permanent structure providing strength the ground surface and gradually moving down and these can simultaneously at multiple locations depending upon the fund availability.
As suggested by many experts to conduct realistic carrying capacity wrt handling of tourists annually and specially during peak days of these places which are ecologically fragile and accordingly infrastructure development to take place and that too with strict control measures and imparting desired training to the people dependent on it towards scientific and logically managing these ecological fragile zones.
Secondly possibilities of building tunnels instead of roads to be explored as tunnels provide shorter route and as well as protects the ecosystem in long run. Construction of dams or water conservations are surely needed to ensure availability of water all throughout the year for generating power and as well as for agriculture. I am not against construction of dams on hill regions rather I favor such initiatives but their size should be well balanced with the degree of sensitivity should be assessed well before finalizing the size to protect the ecosystem and fragility of the biosphere dependent on that.
Landslides have become more frequent and riskier with a beginning of more severe localized catastrophe the solution to arrest this too is only 2 ways one structural and second vegetativeto be followed as per need and suitability of the location. My recommendation to be that both means should be followed simultaneously beginning Sept end by next monsoon comes these locations to become stronger to counter heavy downpours.
The planning to be more decentralized and to be done with the involvement of locals dependent on it and who all life is at risk results will be quick and effective and long lasting.

Can’t we learn from the countries which are very ecological sensitive at one of point of time and now are the best in managing it like Brazil. None of the mountain in Brazil (wherever I have visited) is seen with even a single surface run off or land slides. Where practicing forestry is business with a meaning. Forestry is practiced commercially along with a mandate to conserve about 25% of the area with greenery and with native species. No river or rivulets is left exposed, their banks are will protected and conserved with greenery all along the banks. The scene is to be admired and practiced.

Source- Internet : Concretized and Conserved slope becoming stable

Source : Internet : Gradually road to delicate / fragile area will be stronger to counter catastrophe

Question is finally: Can we do this for local inhabitants and for a well sustaining ecosystem ?