Efforts by the Uttrakhand state government bore fruits with forty one rescuers being effectively rescued after seventeen days from Silkyara tunnel. Different teams from across the length and breadth of country along with international experts contributing in the best of their capacity minimising potential risks but apart from being joyous, jubilant and celebratory this episode is a wake up call up for us to get out of our sombre.
Safety audit of all the tunnels especially those in the vicinity of hills should be urgently pursued without any further delay plus clearance from all the various government departments should become a priority for important infrastructural projects of the government.
Over the past few years, hills and mountains have been robbed of their flora and fauna with extensive development tasks and activities uprooting the natural habitat of indigenous population worshipping nature in its purest form. Seeking favours from industrialists and corporates and in lieu granting them valuable resources has aggravated the concerns of local populace in the hills.
Nobody seems to be taking notice and stock of it conveniently turning their backs for an alternative which could have surely shown the possible road ahead but for an action and approach resulting in devastation and despair for a lack of blueprint and roadmap for managing the after effects and shocks of natural calamities on the hill people.
Migrating in bunches isn’t an ideal choice for them as they will be bereft of their social and cultural identity, thus for any government onus should lie on the judicious utilization of available resources than for the over exploitation of it. Abandoning primitive practices and adopting sustainable development goals is the need of hour for an economic model that has reduced everything to a profitable commodity minus ethical and moral consideration. Silkyara being a perfect test case infront of everyone of us