Don't push limits

WE CANNOT develop the Himalayas as if they were the plains, or a colony in South Delhi. This must be the lesson from this year's season of despair. The world's youngest mountain range, made of moraine, mud and rock, has been battered by rain. It has literally come crashing down, bringing with it homes, schools, fields, roads, bridges and much of the expensive infrastructure built by governments. The cost of this destruction—besides the tragic and irreplaceable loss of human lives—will be massive. Years of public and private investment have been lost.

- SUNITA NARAIN

We know that this is because of climate change. The monsoon has become more extreme, and this year, it has combined with unseasonal western disturbances to cause cloudbursts and intense rain events, and cause devastations. But it is not only about climate change. We continue to build in these fragile and vulnerable regions without any regard for their ecology. This is what must change.

So, what needs to be done? First and foremost, policy and practice must accept that the Himalayas require a separate development plan. Yes, this region requires infrastructure—hydropower, roads and construction of various kinds—but they must be planned with the understanding that this region is fragile and is part of the youngest mountain range in the world. Development here must double as a climate adaptation strategy.