Unveiling the Himalayan Nexus: Unraveling Anthropogenic Triggers and Pursuing Sustainable Development in Uttarakhand

Abstract

The physical environment has been detreated by the impact of humans in a variety of ways including pollution, overpopulation, deforestation. These changes lead to poor air quality, soil erosion, land degradation which results into health issues. These negative consequences can have an impact on human behavior, leading to mass migrations or water wars. The state of Uttarakhand is already fragile towards natural disasters due to its topography. Over the past few decades, we have seen a large no. of disasters in Uttarakhand. Most of them are termed as natural disasters but one cannot ignore the impact of human in triggering these disasters. As a result of the unstable soil on the Himalayan range's high slopes and the fragility of the mountain range itself, heavy rainfall has wreaked havoc on the region. However, the magnitude of the calamity has been worsened by human actions. Major contributors to the extraordinary extent of destruction include the continuous expansion of hydro-power projects and the construction of highways to accommodate ever-increasing travel, mainly religious tourism. 1998 Malpa Landslide, Ukhimath Landslide, Kedarnath Floods are some of the biggest disasters the state has faced in past years. Why these disasters are so frequents nowadays and what role human have played in triggering them. These questions need to be analyzed. This paper will try to highlights the impact of human activities in making the region more fragile for Disaster. It will also try to focus on need for the sustainable development for the region.