By Arun Kumar Singhal
As someone who values sustainable living, preserving biodiversity, and fostering environmental awareness through small yet meaningful initiatives, I offer this piece as a gentle reminder of the larger cause that demands our attention. Don’t worry—I’m not here to discuss climate change again, though it remains an undeniable backdrop to our reality. So, what’s on my mind? Simply put, my observations are a sobering reality.
Let’s take a moment to reflect on how we navigated the year that’s drawing to a close, preparing to welcome a more promising one filled with opportunities to address a host of pressing issues. I hope this year-end becomes a turning point—a chance to pause, reflect, and reimagine. The dawn of a new year offers us a blank canvas, urging us to craft a path that fosters harmony between ourselves and the world around us.
This reflection is more than a reminder; it is a call to action. It revisits truths we often sideline in pursuit of fleeting gains—the urgent need to shift away from a mindset that views nature as separate from our personal belongings. To those who already share this vision, consider this piece a reaffirmation of your commitment. For others, it is an invitation to recognise the shared responsibility we all bear.
Over the past year, I had the opportunity to drive through several hill regions in northern India, sometimes alone and sometimes with family. I won’t name the places because the cause outweighs the specifics. What struck me most—something many of you might have noticed if you are observant and cherish nature—is the alarming degradation of our once-pristine hills.
The lush green cover is receding. Brooks, streams, and small waterfalls are vanishing. The quaint, slate-roofed hill cottages, often surrounded by corn crops, and the sight of mountain goats, once symbols of serenity and rejuvenation for visitors, are fading into memory. In their place, mindless encroachments have sprung up—not the charming hill hutments of old but sprawling concrete structures. Apartments, hotels, and garishly named tin-shed eateries now line the roads, precariously clinging to roadside gorges flocked by tourists who park vehicles all around, with youngsters, boys and girls on scooters and bikes creating a nuisance, at times obstructing traffic and posing safety issues as well.
Landslides, once an occasional occurrence, have become alarmingly frequent—nature’s response to the chaos we’ve inflicted on it.
The safety of the eateries’ structures clinging to roadside gorges is often overlooked, even as visitors dine obliviously, perched above dangerous drops.
What’s even worse is the filth and garbage they leave in their wake. Trash is casually tossed down the gorges, polluting the fragile ecosystem.
The eco-task force of the Indian Army has made commendable efforts to restore hillside greenery through tree plantation, although the results appear too sparse in some areas. I can only hope their absence is a mere coincidence and not a lack of action, as I may have missed spotting them actively planting trees along the mountain slopes in the recent past. However, I did notice the green roadside boards that marked their presence at a few places, a reassuring sign of their commitment. Let’s hope they remain steadfast in their noble mission.
The list of my observations is extensive, but I chose to share some of the most pressing ones in the hope of inspiring change.
As emphasised earlier, the urgent need to abandon a mindset that treats nature as separate from our personal belongings cannot be overstated. This call for reflection and action is pressing. We must not wait for laws to enforce strict measures upon us; instead, we should voluntarily embrace a mindset shift that prioritises the preservation of our surroundings. Just as we care for our homes, we must care for the natural world that sustains us.
Let’s rise to this cause before it’s too late, sparing ourselves the harsh lessons that might come if we wait for external enforcement. The time for change is now, and it starts with each of us.
Wishing everyone a happy New Year—a year that begins with a renewed commitment to sustainable living and a collective resolve to protect and cherish the environment.
(Arun Kumar Singhal is a resident of the Doon. He has been a social worker, an author, and a writer specialising in energy and environmental issues for over three decades.)
