The hilly area of Uttarakhand is a very fragile region highly prone to disasters. 90% of the passenger and freight transportation is dependent on roads. Despite this, every year during monsoon the roads are damaged or remain blocked for days. A close view of the road construction/management process in Uttarakhand reveals that the state fails to…
The Himalayan and Northeastern states in India complain that having an excess forest cover acts as a hindrance for their development. At a time marred with rapid environmental degradation, it is only apt to compensate the states maintaining a rich green cover with a special economic package in the form of a ‘Green Bonus’. This…
Tourism and hydroelectricity generation are the major contributors to Uttarakhand’s economy. However, underutilisation of existing hydroelectricity projects, indifference towards environmental impact, proposal of new projects in environmentally sensitive zones and acute concentration of tourism in selected pockets is a cause of much worry. This article was published in Terra Green-an internationally circulated environmental monthly published…
Long before travel agents colonised the Himalayan heights with their unmitigated exploitation of its pristine beauty in the name of promoting tourism and generating employment; the birds, trees, flowers, rivers and the sublime Himalayan peaks shared a rich camaraderie with the hill people. Things have however changed over the years. This article was published in…
In the interest of a vibrant democracy, it is imperative that the political leadership of the time is always subjected to critical questioning—both by the public as well as from within the respective political parties. While personality cults in politics do not necessarily endanger critical questioning by the public, it definitely murders such an exercise…
Of the many threats that journalists face in India, criminal violence is just one. Apart from this, freedom of press is also curtailed by a sinister use of defamation and sedition laws to silence journalists. Financial uncertainties in the form of inadequate salaries and large scale job cuts also looms large. This article was published…
Have political incapacity and corruption reached a point of no return in India? Can we never salvage lost pride and trust in the political class? Or is an entire class of people and a whole system of governance being crucified for the wrongs of a few? An edited version of this article was published in…
While the hills provide the visiting tourists a refreshing ambiance; an uncontrolled and highly concentrated tourism industry imposes heavy burdens on the meager resources. This article was first published in Hardnews and can be accessed at http://www.hardnewsmedia.com/2016/06/uttarakhand-how-much-can-hills-take With large parts of India still under the spell of a scorching sun, the hill stations in Uttarakhand…
Viewed from the lens of statecraft, there is nothing wrong in a country trying to expand its territory. History stands a witness to the fact that a State will always want to expand itself as much as it can. China, Pakistan or say even India, are no exceptions. Land is too precious an entity that…
One may disagree with the views Bhagat expresses in his columns and other public forums. I myself, on most occasions, find it difficult to agree with him. However, it is perfectly possible for one to disagree with him and yet appreciate the positives that he has contributed to the public space. Depriving him of this credit, which he has…
Today, the only major reason that I have to visit Nainital, is to meet Mr. Pant. Had it not been for his continued guidance, I probably would never have the courage to pick up the pen and express myself in words. He became the sacred lighthouse which I could always approach—both in times of success and…
How often does it happen that an ugly, filthy, impoverished and overcrowded railway station, one like that in Old Delhi, gives you an experience that you can relish and feel somewhat contented with? Isn’t it true that we often try to look for towering and larger than life figures to draw some inspiration from? In…
The post-1995 generation in the state has by and large no conscious knowledge of the history of the region and the richness of the environment. This is not because we chose not to know about our past, but because in our formative years we were never told about the rich cultural legacies of the land.…
Is it wrong for a faculty member in a journalism institute to participate in an event organised by the students to discuss Rohith Vemula’s suicide? As journalism students, do we not have a right and more importantly a duty to discuss issues in the country? We may have differences on issues but is it wrong…
Very often, we find patronizing each other…do what your heart says…do what you really like… Little do we realize (exceptions aside) that how many of us really understand what our heart longs for? The very idea of retrospection appears ponderous to our young and expedient mind. Our mind runs from pillar to post in this…
