Himachal in peril: Climate change unleashes fury on Dev Bhoomi

Himachal Pradesh, often called Dev Bhoomi — the abode of Gods — is reeling under the fury of nature. Known for its pristine landscapes, cultural richness and favourable climate, the state has long been a favourite destination for Indian and international tourists alike. Its thriving fruit orchards and off-season vegetable economy not only sustain local livelihoods but also add to its charm as a year-round tourist attraction, except for the monsoon slowdown. Interestingly, even during the rains, regions such as Pangi, Lahaul and Spiti and Kinnaur remain accessible, while pilgrimages like the Manimahesh Yatra, Shri Khand Mahadev Yatra and Kinnar Kailash Yatra draw devotees in large numbers between Janmashtami and Radha Ashtami.

Yet, in recent years, climate change has unleashed disasters of unprecedented intensity. Catastrophic floods and landslides now frequently devastate mountain slopes, washing away human habitations, orchards, crop fields, water mills and even damaging hydropower projects. Precious lives, property and livelihoods continue to be lost. While cloudbursts are not new to the Himalayas, their frequency and scale in the last few years have been alarmingly high. Last year, the year before and now again, the state has witnessed nature’s fury on a terrifying scale — beyond the imagination of both citizens and planners.

Reports suggest that cloudbursts have struck across Himachal — from Chamba to Nahan — but the devastation in the Janjehli-Thunag area of Mandi district is particularly alarming. For the second consecutive year, this region has suffered heavily: 69 lives lost, hundreds injured, livestock perished and around 400 homes destroyed. With road networks crippled and communication lines snapped, relief has become a daunting challenge. Essential supplies — food, clothing, medicines — are now being air-dropped with the help of Army helicopters, while NDRF and SDRF teams work tirelessly on the ground.

This raises urgent questions: Why is nature’s fury intensifying each year? What has gone wrong with our approach to mountain development and planning? Is reckless road construction, unplanned urban expansion or indiscriminate hydropower development at fault? The Himalayan temperature is rising faster than the global average and factors such as methane emissions from hydropower reservoirs (eight times more potent than carbon dioxide) may also be aggravating the crisis.

Equally worrying is the unscientific approach to road building — reckless dumping of debris, improper rainwater channelisation, steep slope cutting and poor stabilisation work — all of which destabilise fragile mountain slopes. The obsession with four-lane highways needs rethinking. Alternatives like ropeways for mainstream transport, improved public transport and the adoption of electric vehicles could ease tourist traffic and reduce ecological strain.

Deforestation for large infrastructure projects compounds the problem. The call for an alternative development model for the Himalayas is not new — it dates back to the Chipko Movement of the 1980s and has been championed by groups like Himalaya Niti Abhiyan. In fact, an expert group chaired by Dr SZ Quasim submitted a report in 1992 recommending sustainable development models for the region — a base document that still holds relevance today.

The way forward requires political will. Committees of ecologists, geologists, meteorologists and technocrats with ecological expertise must be empowered to recommend scientifically sound, sustainable strategies. Only then can Himachal Pradesh — and the fragile Himalayas at large — hope to balance development with ecological preservation, turning the much-talked-about but seldom-practiced idea of sustainable development into a lived reality.

(The writer is president of the Himalaya Niti Abhiyaan)