Rescue activity has been fitful, and it is once again revealed how little capacity the Indian state has to deal with catastrophic events. Of course, even far more capable state machines, such as that of the United States, have struggled to deal with natural disasters of any magnitude; but it seems clear that, in India, disaster preparation is not a major consideration for an already overburdened state. However, surely natural disaster mitigation should be. Questions are legitimately being asked now whether successive governments in the Himalayan regions have allowed the area to become more susceptible to flooding and landslides. Not all the accusations being levelled at the moment are backed with empirical data; for example, there is no reason to suppose that low-intensity hydropower projects are in and of themselves more likely to cause floods or landslides. Indeed, if the mandated water management and reforestation are properly carried out, then quite the opposite will happen. This is a tragic reminder of the importance of regulation of new projects, not an argument against hydropower itself.
Kedarnath Temple, which is situated in a stunningly beautiful mountain valley at the end of a 14-kilometre hike from Gaurikund in Garhwal, remains standing even as much of its surrounding construction has been washed away. In general, Garhwal seems much more prone to disasters and fatalities than neighbouring Kumaon - perhaps because the latter has fewer large rivers, but also perhaps because of substantial in-migration to Garhwal's towns. Some are people moving from work; but a large part is tourist traffic. Much of it is on a rapidly increasing road system. Some environmental activists estimate that vehicular traffic has increased a staggering 1,000 per cent in Uttarakhand over the past eight years. And those missing and killed were primarily those visiting the area in its brief tourist and pilgrimage season. Clearly, the infrastructure to support such a large number of visitors has not been built. But it is equally true that the required infrastructure would itself stress this environmentally fragile region beyond bearing. Mountain roads themselves, for example, can destabilise young ranges and increase the frequency of landslides.
India is, thus, faced with a difficult decision. Either the state can accept that such fatalities will happen as a region unable to cope with vast numbers of people is forced to deal with them, or it must choose to fairly regulate access. A laissez-faire market-based approach, even with strict environmental regulation, may lead to pilgrimages being priced out of reach of most people. Nor can things continue as they are. The government must seriously consider, therefore, what other equitable measures can be used to minimise the summer visitor pressure - the methods used, for example, for the Mansarovar pilgrimage. After all, it was always a crucial characteristic of the holy places of the hills for centuries that they were remote. For the pilgrim, the journey meant as much as the destination - not an idea aided by today's overbuilt temple towns and ecologically dangerous roads.