Mumbai's Future Hangs in Balance, Ranjona Banerji Fears, as Progress Comes at a Devastating Cost to Dharavi

In the picturesque hamlet of Dharali, Uttarakhand, known for its apple orchards and rajma cultivation, and located near the Gangotri yatra route, a catastrophic event has unfolded. On August 5, the Kheer Ganga stream, a tributary of the Ganga, transformed into a mighty torrent, causing widespread destruction.

Hundreds of thousands of trees, including deodar, have been cut down to make way for new roads in the Himalayas, including in Dharali. Construction took place too close to the banks of the Kheer Ganga stream, and the market in Dharali was built on a fan-shaped area of years of sediment deposit. These actions, coupled with the effects of climate change, have contributed to the disaster.

The amount of debris caused by the event has made search and rescue efforts almost impossible, with at least five confirmed deaths and about 65 people missing. The effects of climate change are a major factor in the current weather events, with human behavior, including irresponsible construction, excessive use of fossil fuels, and destruction of forests, causing climate change.

Mumbai, too, has not been spared from the wrath of climate change. The city's flood plains and salt pans have been turned into buildings, and mangroves have been destroyed to make roads. Mumbai is currently experiencing heavy rainfall, with warnings for more in place for Maharashtra.

Experts are still dealing with the consequences of cloudbursts, glacier bursts, new glacial lakes, landslides, debris, destruction, and death in Uttarakhand. Earlier reports of a cloudburst in Dharali have been dismissed, although a glacier burst has not been ruled out.

The planet will survive the effects of climate change, but life on Earth in its current form may suffer. It is a stark reminder of the urgent need for responsible development and a shift towards sustainable practices to mitigate the impacts of climate change.

Construction is encouraged by the government in dangerous zones, such as Dharali, and similar incidents have led to disasters such as the Mumbai floods and the factory collapse in Dharali. There are no specific government representatives from India named in the provided sources who have been criticized for building settlements in hazardous areas like Dharali and Mumbai, showing apathetic attitudes toward warnings from scientists and environmentalists.

The sun shining in Dehradun, a rare occurrence in July and August, serves as a stark contrast to the destruction in Dharali. As we move forward, it is crucial to learn from these events and take steps to prevent such disasters from happening again.

Mumbai's Future Hangs in Balance, Ranjona Banerji Fears, as Progress Comes at a Devastating Cost to Dharavi