PROF. KAPIL PAWAR
This helicopter accident is sad but we are responsible for it. I spent a lot of time in Gaumukh-Gangotri. There was a time when strict instructions were given to keep the camera flash off at the mouth of the Gaumukh glacier from where Bhagirathi originates.
There, strict instructions were given to keep the camera flash turned off; cameras were confiscated if photos were taken near the glacier with the flash on.
Then, considering the sensitivity of the glacier, the government, administration and the public were also sensitive.
Then after some time the governments became more sensitive and they declared the Bhagirathi valley, from Uttarkashi to Gaumukh or that part of the Himalayas as eco-sensitive.
They banned the land, water and forests of the local people, prohibited the extraction of sand, gravel and wood, and showed such sensitivity that they found new ways of mining and slowly started approving heli services for travel
and today the consequences of excessive human interference with nature are being faced by those innocent devotees who are brought here by faith and unfortunately have to suffer the loss of their lives.
The Himalayas are called the soul of India and Maa Ganga is called the life-giver, but if we are not sensitive towards the life-giver, then the soul of the Himalayas will surely feel hurt and such incidents will keep on happening if we are not careful.
Leave a Reply