The Ugly Himalayas
How can the Himalayas be ugly? They are the natural wonders that will leave its guest in awe. Covered with snow like a frosting on a cake, the mountain range pours life into many rivers that feed millions of people along its flow.
Would I appear like a stone-hearted person if I call this beautiful landscape an ugly picture? How about judging me at the end of the second edition of Everyday Stories, which we don’t give heed to?
The Generosity of the Mighty Himalayas
In the small town of Devprayag in Uttarakhand happens the confluence of two rivers. One Bhagirathi originates at the Gangotri Glacier about 250 km north and the other Alakananda 200 km east. The Sangam of both these rivers gives rise to the Ganga, which feeds crores of people along its flow of 2500 km. She feeds not just the humans but all the life forms in her path till she joins the Bay of Bengal in a small island’s cover at Ganga Sagar.
In the Tibetan province of China, Yarlung Zangbo River takes birth with the blessing of the Himalayas and flows through China for 2850 km and enters the Indian land as Brahmaputra in Northeastern Arunachal Pradesh. In India, the river flows a further 2900 km before joining the mighty Ganga.
Being the two main rivers that form at the foot of the Himalayas, the basin feeds 65 crore people, close to half of India. The Himalayas are the reason these rivers stay alive; the generosity of the mountain range is unquestionable. We have a different way of showing gratitude to these rivers. How?
The Gratitude Problem
In the disguise of washing our sins, we are changing the colour of the clear waters that feed us. Without a second thought, we discharge waste and pollutants to these lifelines. We pray to these rivers for their blessings by polluting them. Seeing all these everyday problems of the water bodies irks one with a question. Are Our Rivers Full of Life or Soulless Bodies?
While we continue to debate the problems in our sight, these rivers are getting polluted at their sources, the Himalayan Range. These are never discussed or debated. So, what’s the problem?
The Himalayan Problem
There is only one root cause for every problem in this World: Humans. There won’t be any debate left when hurling such an accusation except surrendering to the grave situation we have brought upon ourselves.
Himalaya, at its core, is a place where no living beings can survive, not an animal, not a plant, and definitely no human. In such a place, where living organisms gasp for oxygen, we can find the atrocities humans commit against mother nature.
1. Pollution at Source
Himalaya is one of the most exploited places on the Earth for expeditions. It is also a place where there is no availability of basic amenities to support humans. When such places become part of tourism, nature is the one who pays the toll. Human recreation of peeing, pooping, and brushing is on the very snow/ice that melts to join the rivers and water bodies.
The reality described above was shared by Sunil Nataraj , the first male civilian from Karnataka, India to summit Mount Everest.
2. Lack of Regulation from the Respective Governments
The Himalayan Mountain range, in the majority, lies with India and Nepal. The permits to the peaks in this range are handled by both Governments on their respective sides. However, there is a lack of oversight that is harming these peaks. With the commercialization of expeditions, there are more climbers attempting to summit these peaks.
One of the primary culprits behind the escalating pollution and environmental degradation in the Himalayas is the lack of proper regulation and enforcement. Even when the World expresses its concerns, a record number of 466 permits were given to Mount Everest in 2023. They are proportionally more than in the past for other peaks as well.
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The saga is the same on the Indian peaks where the majority of the attempts are being done by amateurs influenced by social media. While tourism is good for every country, failure to regulate humans in the fragile ecosystems of the region, results in irreversible damage.
3. Letting go of the Baggage
The enthusiastic Mountaineers very often abandon their equipment, tents, food containers, and oxygen cylinders, leading to significant litter accumulation. This non-biodegradable waste not only mars the pristine beauty of the peaks but also pollutes water sources, affecting local ecosystems and wildlife.
As the glaciers melt, buried waste resurfaces, further contaminating the environment. The impact of irresponsible waste disposal in these delicate ecosystems can be irreversible, making it imperative for climbers and authorities to prioritize responsible waste management practices to preserve the natural integrity of the Everest region.
The Expedition companies don’t seem to be helping with the solution. Governments don’t appear to have a solution in hand, except eager to send more people into these places.
It is estimated that over 50 tonnes of waste are on Mount Everest's path alone. Though, after a tussle, Nepal used the pandemic lockdown window to pick up trash worth 11 tonnes, the majority still remains in there. The pile will grow with every passing year.
Are We the Solution or the Problem?
When India was in lockdown in 2020, a picture surfaced on the Internet from Saharanpur in Uttar Pradesh. Seeing those images, the nation celebrated. Those were the images of the Himalayan Mountain range visible 200 km away. This didn’t last longer as the peaks disappeared into the pollution with the reopening of the lockdown.
Though this didn’t directly have any connection with what’s happening in the Himalayas, what humans are doing all around the world indirectly contributes to the act of nature’s degradation. In a way, we are all the problem with what’s happening with the mighty Himalayas, and we hold the solution.
What’s the Solution?
Regulation by the Governments around the Himalayas plays a key role in handling this problem which affects close to a billion people. Here’s how we could tackle the Environment issue.
Is this Our Everyday Stories?
The Himalayas are not only a natural wonder but also a lifeline for the people on its foot. Promoting eco-tourism is good for the economy but lack of regulation irreversibly impacts nature. Though we may not remember to thank the mighty mountain every day, it is part of our every day in one or the other way.
Himalayas have been here way before humans came into existence. It will be there even if humans go extinct. Till then, let this amazing landscape be how we all remember it, as part of our Everyday Stories.
P.S. – Let us all do our little bits to Nature.
Will be back next Friday with another Everyday Story of ours!
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