Consider this,
Supposing we are lucky AGAIN next year and in Oct2008 our hills come out totally unscathed from the monsoons. If no major landslides occur and there are negligible casualties or loss to property and the “silent” disaster of Sep2007 turns out to be nothing more than a bad dream...
( I have no doubt that all of us want it to be so, not only in 2008 but for the many, many years to come)
What then would happen to “savethehills”?
Well, at the most we maybe accused of being over enthusiastic zealots whose excessive apprehensions and concern, though well meaning, were based on unrealistic information and insufficient or incorrect data.
On the other hand, supposing we are not so lucky next year or in the few years ahead, and those mountains with yawning cracks or the villages which are on the verge of sliding down actually start moving during the monsoons, then..
What would happen to the all those who could have acted in time to prevent or mitigate such a premonition but did not?
Placed on this blogspot is a body of incriminating evidence (which has yet to be refuted, denied or challenged by any Govt agency or NGO) in terms of reports, writings and photographs which show what has happened to us, our homes, roads, jhoras and our mountains;
all pointing towards the fact that time is running out...
This should be reason enough for the Govt (and the powers that be) to be concerned, and more importantly, start acting...
praful rao
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ReplyDeleteI had first hand experience of massive landsides and the flooding of the Teesta river in October 1968, when many lives were sadly lost. I was involved at the time with helping many helpless travellers stranded by this disaster to cross over to safety.
ReplyDeleteNow almost 40 years on,I am very saddened and concerned to learn that no action has been taken by the Indian government to tackle this enormously debilitating issue and to prevent it occurring again and again.
However, I am very delighted to learn about Mr. Praful Rao's lonely campaign to highlight this long overdue issue and would urge the Indian government, particularly, the Ministers of West Bengal, to act now before our beautiful hills are forever eroded from existence.
I would also urge all my fellow Darjeeling forum members and hill gaonleys to join Praful Rao in his campaign to bring this issue to the attention of the powers that be that can make all the difference before it is all too late.....
With the power mongers, corruption and the rush to get on that "lets-get -rich-wagon", the sense of welfare and concern for environmental protection has long lost vitality. Serious changes needs to be made in order to bring things into places, beginning from the top. Such disasters potrayed by Mr. Rao is not natural but man made and it is imperative that the local authorities should take the initiative to, at the least, educate the masses and thereby, build up awareness. Sanitation in Darjeeling is one of the major concerns next to landslides. The Queen of hills sadly is sliding by age into a sombre state of idleness with its charm and glory stripped off by its own inhabitants.
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