“Himalayan Blunders” is a phrase often associated with the 1962 Sino-Indian War, which resulted in a disastrous defeat for India. It signifies a strategic and diplomatic failure of monumental proportions, where a lack of preparedness and miscalculation led to a significant loss of territory and human lives. The term “Himalayan Blunder” serves as a cautionary reminder of the consequences of ineffectual leadership and the critical importance of sound foreign policy, military readiness, and geopolitical acumen in safeguarding a nation’s interests.
Tag: GS Paper-3: Conservation; environmental pollution and degradation; environmental impact assessment.
Exam View:
Incidents of disaster in the Himalayas; The Chardham Mahamarg Vikas Pariyojna of 2016; Unanswered questions, violations; Saving the Gangotri, need for regulation.
Context:
India’s Himalayan region is being destroyed by greed outstripping the need along with manipulative political, bureaucratic and real estate lobbies.
Decoding the editorial: Incidents of disaster in the Himalayas
- Blocked roads after a landslide at Chamoli
- Sinking in Joshimath in Uttarakhand,
- Road caving in Chamba in Himachal,
- Accidents on the Char Dham routes, and
- Deaths on the all-weather road
The Chardham Mahamarg Vikas Pariyojna of 2016
- A massive infrastructure project of road widening to double-laning with a paved shoulder (DLPS) design.
- It has destroyed natural resources.
- The project has claimed lakhs of trees and acres of forest land, many human and animal lives, and also the fertile topsoil of the fragile Himalaya.
- The tons of muck generated have choked water sources.
- The dense forests around Chamba, Agrakhal Maletha, Shivpuri, Rudraprayag, Chamoli, Agustmuni, Karnaprayag and Kund (all Uttarakhand) and other such lush green sites are vanishing.
- Only one pristine patch, i.e., the Bhagirathi Eco Sensitive Zone (BESZ), remains.
- It has become infamous for bypassing the rules.
- By law, a project of more than 100 km needs environmental clearance.
- But ambitious projects for tourism and plans that are the result of election agendas are time bound.
- The mandatory and detailed EIA was not done.
- This massive project was broken up into 53 small projects, each less than 100 km long, thus by-passing environmental impact assessment (EIA) requirements.
- BESZ has the only natural free flow that is left of the Ganga river and was declared a protected site in December 2012 under the Environment Protection Act, 1986.
- This stretch of approximately 100 km could not be touched by the Chardham Mahamarg Vikas Pariyojna project without an approved zonal master plan (ZMP) and a detailed EIA.
- To facilitate the Chardham Mahamarg Vikas Pariyojna, the ZMP was given hasty approval, negating the directions of even the Supreme Court of India.
- The BESZ monitoring committee’s approval was overseen by most of the State officials on the committee without any discussion or suggestions being made.
- Before the monsoons, the Uttarakhand government increased the carrying capacity of all the Char Dhams.
- The carrying capacity for the Gangotri shrine (i.e., BESZ) was increased to 9,000 passenger carrying units per day even though the BESZ notification calls for a “regulation of vehicular traffic”.
- Experts have repeatedly pointed out that the Chardham shrines of Uttarakhand are already overburdened.
Unanswered questions, violations
- By widening hill roads to DLPS alignment, the Ministry of Road Transport is only contradicting its own notification.
- It states the challenges that come to the fore in adhering to the DLPS standards in the context of national highways and roads in hilly and mountainous terrains.
- These challenges arise on account of destabilisation of hill slopes and progressive damaging effects on road alignments and structures.
- It goes on to recommend the carriageway width shall be of intermediate lane configurations.
- The Supreme Court Bench headed by Justice R. Nariman reprimanded the Ministry and directed implementation of its own notification “prospectively and retrospectively” in September 2020.
- The government produced the reason of “national security” even though when the Chardham Mahamarg Vikas Pariyojna was announced, only the core reason of “faster” movement of vehicular traffic was stated.
- Eventually, a Bench headed by Justice D.Y. Chandrachud in December 2021 permitted the government to do whatever it desired.
Saving the Gangotri, need for regulation
- Conservation of the Gangotri glacier
- It is one of the most challenging issues for the Ganga’s rejuvenation
- The Gangotri glacier is the fastest receding glacier.
- With an increase in vehicular movement and episodes of forest fires, black carbon deposits are rising on the glacier, escalating its melting.
- Tailored fit approach
- For such sensitive regions, the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Science and Technology, Environment, Forests and Climate Change has pointed out to the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change that a one size fits all approach to environment clearance should not be followed.
- Ecologically sensitive areas of the country require a more meticulous approach with the only aim of furthering the environmental interests rather than economic interest.
Source: The Hindu
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
1. What is the “Himalayan Blunder” in the context of Indian history?
A: The “Himalayan Blunder” refers to the 1962 Sino-Indian War, a conflict between India and China over territorial disputes in the Himalayan region, particularly in the Aksai Chin and Arunachal Pradesh areas.
2. Why is the Sino-Indian War of 1962 considered a blunder?
A: It is considered a blunder due to India’s lack of preparedness and underestimation of the Chinese military’s capabilities. The Indian government’s failure to adequately assess the situation and its inability to protect its territorial interests resulted in a humiliating defeat.
3. What were the consequences of the Himalayan Blunder for India?
A: The consequences were significant. India lost territory to China, with China gaining control over Aksai Chin. The war also had a profound impact on Indian national pride and foreign policy, leading to a reevaluation of defense strategies and diplomatic relations.
4. Were there any lessons learned from the Himalayan Blunder?
A: Yes, the Himalayan Blunder led to a reevaluation of India’s defense and foreign policy. It highlighted the importance of maintaining a strong and well-prepared military, investing in infrastructure along border regions, and pursuing diplomacy to resolve territorial disputes.
5. Has the Sino-Indian War of 1962 had a lasting impact on India’s relations with China?
A: Yes, the war had a lasting impact on India-China relations. It created a long-standing mistrust between the two countries, and the border disputes remain unresolved, leading to occasional border tensions even decades later. The lessons from the war continue to shape India’s approach to its northern neighbor.
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