After the most dangerous fatal, Dharali and Harshil tragedies that claimed several lives with 69 people missing – the media and people concerned have given different versions for this tragedy.
Though majority of the authoritative versions recommend the cloud burst as the major reason leading to the lakes below getting burst on the upstream of the Kheer river, another geologist of Bhutan Imran Khan basing his study on the satalite pictures says that the Dharali tragedy was the direct result of the breaking of the glacier deposit debris at the height of 6,700 metres ( may be feet) above sea levels above the Kheer River.
However, after more than one hundred and fifty years the once called the Pahari King ” King of Mountains” who literally ruled the Harshil for several decades though taking the then Tehri King Sudershan Shah into confidence has come into picture and being held solely responsible for the present Dharali and Harshil tragedy for then cutting more than two lakh Deodar trees to become ultra rich and afcourse to allegedly fill the pockets of the then Tehri dynasty too. Federick became so powerful and influential that he ditched the then dynasty and made his own currency coins with his picture on them.
This theory though sounds logical too have come into consideration after eminent earth scientist , Geologist Dr. N.D.Juyal’s video came in social media opposing the proposal of vast deodar and other trees in view if construction or widening of roads in Garhwal region stating that the deodar n other fully grown trees play a vital role in stopping and becoming a huge shield to the flash floods with silt, mud and boulders and if the deforestation takes place for roads construction or their widening on mass scale as going on in several projects the future of civilisation in Uttarakhand will be in immense danger and what happened in Dharali and Harshil is a fresh example of such massive destruction with many more to follow suit.
Taking back let’s go into history. Frederic Wilson was a British Army deserter and had run away clandestinely on a horse from probably Meerut Cantonment towards hills in order to seek refuge.
This was the year of 1838,39 the first Anglo Afgan war when he deserted the British Army and came to Bhagirathi valley.
Having special charm for green environment and cool places he gradually went to Harshil and found the place extremely feasible to live, do business and ofcourse seek refuge.
After great efforts he met the then King of Shah dynasty with a gun in his hand.
Initially the modest king refused to meet him but after his requested repeated efforts the king Sudershan Shah agreed.
On meeting the King he developed friendship giving him the greed to earn money through the nature’s exploit about which the modest king wasn’t aware.
A great lover of nature Frederic Wilson was afraid of leaving the place apprehensive of being caught and court marshalled.
He therefore made Harshil his permanent home and married a local woman. He convinced the King that if they cut the deodar trees which are in abundance they can be rich and the king would also earn handsomely .
The king initially didn’t allow him but later on agreed. Wilson made his bungalow in Harshil and seeking the kings permission became a contractor with full fledged dominance.
During those days the British were busy constructing railway network in India , Kotdwar, Simla, Kathgodown, Kumaon etc and lots of timber was in requirement.
Also known as Shikari of Harshil apart from “Harshil ka Raja” clever and intelligent Federick Wilson was a hunter and a writer too who wrote in the name of “Mountaineer”.
After seeking the permission from the then king of Tehri kingdom, Federick Wilson was very happy and became extremely rich by cutting over two lakh deodar trees and selling them at exorbitant prices sending through the river.
He built several Forest Bungalows as well.
He lived in the Bhagirathi valley as a King marrying two women locally and died in Mussourie in 1883 in his old age.
His cremation also took place under the deodar tree.
Today Federick Wilson is being held responsible for massive cutting of trees two hundred years after and subsequent ecological catastrophe in Dharali and Harshil. If it is so then the the dynasty which gave him the permission are also to be blamed , isn’t it ?
However, has the successive governments that followed after planted trees and avoided deforestation not only had there been millions of trees in Bhagirathi valley by now but the ecological disasters of the magnitude of Dharali could have been avoided.
