Himachal Pradesh has been facing recurring natural disasters. The state has also been facing landslides due to human greed and deforestation. Floods during July 2023 conclusively proved that mother earth knows her way to assert her might. You play with her, you pay a heavy price!
Cameras in the sky provide a conclusive proof of destruction. Thanks to publicly available historical images, we can see the destruction of our virgin hills by activities like:
Cement Plants
Crushers
Land encroachment
Deforestation
......
In a series of historical-pictures based articles, I will show the journey of destruction of Himachal hills from "what they were" to "what they are today."
We start with Cement Plants.
The state is rich in limestone deposits, which are used to make cement. Mining by cement plants destroy hills by removing the topsoil and subsoil to reach the aggregate underneath. The extraction of limestone has led to deforestation, soil erosion, water pollution and loss of biodiversity. The mining activities of cement plants in Himachal have caused severe damage to the hills and the environment.
Have a look at the destruction of hills in Mangoo village due to mining by a Darlaghat based Cement factory. Use the Google Maps link and zoom to see the current state of destruction of this hill.
1. Sep 2014: It is all green, scenic, and full of top soil that supports vegetation.
2. Nov 2017: Mining activity started. In three years, top soil has been removed, greenery has disappeared.
3. Dec 2019: Another two years, the hill top is gone. Mining area has expanded. One inhabitation in the lower right quadrant has disappeared while the second has shrunk.
4. Oct 2022: In a total of eight years, mining area has widely expanded in all directions.
A pristine hill has been destroyed and converted into a barren patch. The way it is expanding, I am afraid that the Panchayat Ghar of Sanghoi village might not last another 2-3 years.
The destruction of Himachal hills is a matter of grave concern for all Himachalis who care about the environment.
A people movement is required to pause this destruction.