“Himachal on the Edge: Climate Chaos Are Fueling Flash Floods”

Himachal Pradesh—once known for its peaceful valleys, sacred shrines, and serene rivers — is now facing an unsettling pattern: flash floods are rising every year, bringing death, destruction, and displacement.

⚠️ The Growing Threat of Cloudbursts

Over the past decade, cloudburst incidents have increased drastically. Sudden, intense rainfall in a matter of minutes is no longer rare — it's the new normal. Locals are rendered helpless and tourists are trapped as a result of these cloudbursts, which immediately result in flooding, landslides, and the loss of life and property. But the question is: Is it only nature to blame?

But the question is: Is it only nature to blame?

The answer is painful but clear — human activity is accelerating this destruction.

Why are there multiple cloudbursts in the same area?

In recent years, Himachal Pradesh has experienced multiple cloudbursts within a short period of time, sometimes even within 24 to 48 hours, in the same valley or district. This is a sign of climate imbalance and ecological stress, not just a natural cycle.

• 🌡 Extreme weather and climate change: Due to rising global temperatures, the Himalayan region is heating up faster than the plains. The atmosphere becomes more moist as a result, leading to the formation of dense clouds. It bursts abruptly and repeatedly when the terrain prevents the moisture from escaping.
• 🪓 Deforestation and Land Disturbance: Cutting of forests and mountain slopes for roads, hotels, and camps makes the region more vulnerable to rapid water runoff. There’s no sponge-like soil to absorb the rainfall, increasing the impact of each cloudburst.
• 🚧 Unplanned Construction:Tunnels, bridges, and widened roads have changed the natural airflow and temperature zones in valleys. These man-made alterations disturb local wind circulation, which can trap rain clouds and cause repeated cloudbursts in the same area.
• 🚗 Human Activity: During yatras and festivals, the heat generated by large crowds and the addition of more generators can all contribute to a slight increase in localized temperature, which in turn increases cloud concentration over that region.
• 🌊 Poor Drainage:Blocked nullahs and rivers due to garbage or encroachments reduce water absorption. Therefore, the land remains unstable when rain falls again, even after a recent cloudburst, resulting in repeat catastrophes.

🛣️ Road Widening & Blind Infrastructure

To accommodate rising tourist traffic, mountains are being cut ruthlessly for road widening, increasing landslide risks and reducing rainwater absorption.

Mountains' Four-Lane Roads: Development or Destruction?

To accommodate rising tourist traffic, mountains are being cut ruthlessly for road widening, without proper planning or environmental assessments. These roads, which are frequently constructed in fragile areas, increase the likelihood of landslides and reduce the soil's capacity to absorb rainwater, resulting in flood-like conditions.

Mountains' Four-Lane Roads: Development or Destruction?

Himachal Pradesh has seen a rush to construct four-lane highways in recent years, particularly on Chandigarh–Manali, Parwanoo–Solan, and Kiratpur–Bilaspur routes. While the intention is to improve travel and boost tourism, the reality on the ground tells a different story.

Nature is responding to the opening of the mountains. 💣 Why Fourways Are Dangerous in the Himalayas: Too Much Hill Cutting Whole hillsides are cut down to build wide roads, making the land loose and unstable. During monsoons, these areas are more prone to landslides and road collapses. Landslides Becoming Frequent Near Solan, Manali, Kullu, and Bilaspur, frequent landslides have been reported since the beginning of four-way road projects, sometimes obstructing highways for days. Loss of Forests and Wildlife Widening roads means cutting thousands of trees, which were holding the soil together. It also forces animals to leave their natural habitats. Insufficient Drainage Planning There aren't enough retaining walls or rainwater outlets installed on many highway sections. So, when it rains, water directly flows onto the road or triggers landslides from loose soil. More Traffic = More Pollution & Heat Wide roads invite more cars, buses, and pollution — worsening the local climate and causing glacier melt in nearby regions.

🌲Tourism-related Deforestation

Forests are being cleared to build luxury hotels, camping sites, and cafes, especially near rivers and hillsides. More than just the trees themselves, this transformation also destroys the mountains' natural defenses. Even a light rain can cause disaster if there are no roots to hold the soil in place.

Deforestation for Tourism: Sacred Trees, Silent Losses

In the name of boosting tourism, Himachal has seen a worrying trend of cutting down forests, even around sacred places. The very trees that protected our soil, absorbed rainfall, and gave oxygen to our mountains are now being sacrificed for profit.

📍 Real Example: Bijli Mahadev Ropeway Project

In 2023, the government approved a ropeway project to Bijli Mahadev Temple in Kullu. While it promised to reduce trekking load and promote tourism, the hidden cost was shocking: More than 4,000 trees were marked for cutting, including sacred deodar and pine trees. What was once a peaceful forest trail to a sacred temple is now turning into a commercial transit route, with major loss of biodiversity and cultural peace.

🚨 Other Similar Cases:

• Jakhoo Hill (Shimla): Habitat destruction from construction.
• Tosh & Kasol: Forests cleared for camps, cafes, and hotels.
• Chitkul & Sangla Valley: Over-tourism led to tree felling for new homestays and parking spaces
• Triund (Dharamshala): Massive influx of tourists forced clearing of areas near forest trails.

These aren’t isolated incidents — they reflect a state-wide crisis, where sacred forests are being destroyed for short-term tourist revenue.

❗ Why This Is Dangerous:

• Less tree cover = more landslides, soil erosion, and cloudburst impact
• Sacred ecology and wildlife suffer permanent loss
• Local water sources dry up as forest density falls
• Increased heat due to lack of moisture retention.

🚗 Vehicle Overload in the Himalayas

The narrow and sensitive mountain roads are now jammed with thousands of cars and bikes during tourist seasons. This excessive vehicle load not only causes air and noise pollution but also puts enormous pressure on the already fragile ecosystem.

Mountain Smog, Tourist Traffic: A Slow Poison

Mountain Smog, Tourist Traffic: A Slow Poison in the Hills Every year during summer and snowfall seasons, Himachal's famous tourist destinations like Shimla, Manali, Kufri, Dalhousie, and Jalori Pass face a crisis: massive traffic congestion. At first glance, it may look like booming tourism. But if you take a deeper breath — literally — you’ll feel the pollution choking the fresh mountain air. What's Really Going On? Thousands of private cars, buses, taxis, and bikers enter Himachal every day during peak season. Narrow hill roads turn into parking lots, especially in places like Shimla Ridge, Mall Road, Rohtang Pass, and Kasol. Vehicles stuck for hours keep engines running, releasing carbon monoxide, black smoke, and micro-particles into the air. The green valleys that once offered pure oxygen now suffer from smog, just like in big cities. In 2022 ' 2023, and every year, locals reported visible smog in Shimla, Manali, and surrounding areas during May–June and December seasons.

Traffic jams in Shimla, Kufri, Manali, and Jalori Pass lead to stagnant pollution and suffocating air.

🔥 Consequences of Tourist Vehicle Pollution:

• Respiratory problems among locals and elderly increase Glacial melt accelerates due to rising local heat Damage occurs to natural micro-ecosystems, moss, and plants. Even temple zones suffer from foul air and noise pollution
• ❗ Do the Mountains Need So Many Cars?
• No. In point of fact, the Himalayas thrive on balance and minimalism. The rise in pollution is a sign of careless development rather than progress.

✅ Solutions:

• Ban diesel vehicles during peak season.
• Encourage the use of shuttle buses, ropeways, and electric vehicles. Encourage tourists to use shared or public transport
• In ecologically important areas like Jalori Pass, Rohtang, and Sangla, impose vehicle entry restrictions. “Coming to the mountains should feel like peace — not like a traffic jam in Delhi or Chandigarh.”

🚮 Garbage and Waste at Sacred Sites

Places once revered and untouched are now filled with plastic bottles, wrappers, and garbage. Rivers and waterfalls that were once sacred are now polluted with human waste. Tourists treat these places like party zones, ignoring the cultural and ecological value they hold for locals.

🗑️ More Tourism, More Garbage: Himachal Is Choking on Plastic

With the increase in tourists, there has been a drastic rise in garbage all over Himachal — especially non-biodegradable plastic waste. From trekking routes to temples, riversides to forest trails — plastic bottles, gutkha wrappers, Maggi packets, and disposable plates are now common sights.

📍 Garbage Hotspots:

• Shrikhand Mahadev & Kheerganga trails: Full of empty bottles, chips packets, and leftover food.
• Beas and Parvati riversides: Tourists picnic and leave behind plastic plates, liquor bottles, and food wrappers.
• Rohtang Pass, Manikaran, Jalori Pass: Piled-up garbage along roads and snow zones.

💣 Why This Garbage Is a Silent Killer:

• Plastic clogs natural water channels, increasing flood risk
• Harmful to cattle, wildlife, and local water sources
• Microplastics enter rivers and eventually into human food chains
• It takes hundreds of years for this garbage to decompose — and some of it never does

❗ Festival Season = Trash Season

During festivals, fairs, and pilgrimage yatras, the problem becomes worse. Without proper waste bins, tourists dump garbage in forests, temple grounds, or rivers, causing both environmental and spiritual damage.

✅ Solutions to Control Tourist Waste

• Ban single-use plastic in high-altitude zones
• Eco toilets and waste collection points
• Heavy fines for littering near temples, forests, and rivers
• Involve locals in clean-up drives and awareness programs

🌿 A Dying Ecosystem

All of these actions — from reckless construction to disrespectful tourism — are not isolated. They are harming the ecosystem as a whole, which has protected these hills for centuries. Wildlife is disappearing, natural water channels are blocked, and the climate is turning more unpredictable every year.

🥾 Trekking in Sensitive Habitats: A Silent Destruction of Ecosystems

Trekking has become extremely popular in Himachal, with trails leading to places like Shrikhand Mahadev, Triund, Bhrigu Lake, Hampta Pass, and Kinnaur Kailash. But few realize that these areas are home to delicate ecosystems — where every flower, moss, and root plays a role in keeping the Himalayan balance alive. These are not just trekking routes — they are living ecosystems with thousands of years of natural harmony.

🚨 Harm Caused:

• Foot traffic killing alpine plants
• Plastic, campfires ruin soil and water
• Disturbed wildlife and scared-off species

🚨 What Happens When Sensitive Zones Are Disturbed?

Foot traffic kills fragile alpine plants that take years to grow Campfires and plastic waste damage soil fertility and microbial life Rare birds, insects, and mountain animals are frightened away by crowds and noise. Human waste and litter pollute pristine glacier-fed water sources Sacred habitats of Himalayan herbs and medicinal plants are destroyed Even a few thousand visitors per season can permanently damage centuries of natural growth

⚠️ Case Examples of Ecosystem Loss

Shrikhand Mahadev Trail: Loss of wild herbs, flower beds, and sacred oak patches due to thousands of barefoot trekkers Kheerganga Trek: Overcrowded trails that lead to garbage in hot springs, dying butterflies, and dead roots Great Himalayan National Park (GHNP): Illegal trekking routes disturbing endangered species like the Western Tragopan Approaches to Eco-Safe Trekking Declare high-altitude trails as “eco-sensitive zones” Set a limit on the number of trekkers per season Make guide and tourist awareness programs mandatory Ban trekking in monsoon and early spring, when soil is unstable Allow camping only in designated zones with proper waste disposal “Trekking should be a journey through nature — not a reason for its destruction.”

⚠️ Sacred Routes, Deadly Risks

Pilgrimage sites like Shrikhand Mahadev have seen deadly flash floods and landslides, especially in recent years. These holy sites are at high altitudes and have fragile terrain. When thousands of people visit during the yatra season, many of them don't plan ahead or care about the environment. Unregulated tourism, waste dumping, and excessive human interference are turning these sacred lands into disaster-prone zones.

When Fragility Meets Faith

These disasters are not just environmental — they are deeply spiritual tragedies too. The same land where people bow their heads is now seeing lives being lost. What used to be a spiritual journey is now turning into a risky adventure, and often, a deadly one. We must ask ourselves — are we really showing devotion, or just disturbing nature in the name of devotion?

🙏 Divine Warnings Ignored:

The issue of destruction at sacred pilgrimage sites like Shrikhand Mahadev is no longer just a matter of climate, garbage, or trekking. It has now advanced to a spiritual level to the point where even the deities of Himachal Pradesh have voiced their concern.

⚠️ Warnings from Local Deities

In recent years, respected deities like: Chailashani Maa Nagela Devta Ji (Nirmand region) have openly conveyed through their mediums and village temples that: "Shrikhand Yatra must be restricted or halted completely." Their message is clear: The divine energy of Shrikhand — one of the most spiritually charged places in Himachal — is being disturbed by loud noise, plastic, disrespectful behavior, and overcrowding. These sacred lands are not meant for crowds, selfies, parties, and mess. They are places of tap (penance), silence, and devotion.

🙅 What Deities Observed:

The area's spiritual peace is disrupted by music, fights, and selfies. Waste and pollution harm nature and disrespect the gods. The yatra has become a commercial event, not a spiritual journey Too many outsiders disregard the sacred traditions and culture of the area. “When the gods start warning us — and we still don’t listen — we’re heading toward disaster.

⚡ Jalori Pass: From Sacred to Tourist Playground

The sacred land of power (shakti) where Maa Kali and Devta Panchveer reside is located at Jalori Pass, which is situated between the Kullu and Banjar valleys. Locals believe this area is a spiritually energized zone, where many Himachali deities come to receive divine power during their mystical journeys. However, increasing tourism is slowly turning this divine site into a party spot.

❗ What’s Happening at Jalori Pass?

Tourists throw plastic bottles and food wrappers near the sacred temples Loud music and DJ speakers disturb the peaceful aura Forests nearby are used for illegal camping, littering, and bonfires Respect for sacred rocks, trees, and energy points is lacking. “People visit Jalori Pass for Instagram, not for inner peace.” Devta Gur's Divine Warning from Maa Kali In local Vani (divine invocation), Maa Kali herself, through her Gur, has issued a spiritual warning: "This is not a picnic spot. Gods rule this area of power. If the disturbance continues, divine energy will leave the place." Even Devta Panchveer has expressed concern that the energy is weakening due to pollution, disrespect, and commercialisation. Sacred lands must be protected, not exploited.

🛑 Urgent Actions Needed:

Ban loudspeakers and sound systems near temples and forests Limit tourism in energy-sensitive zones like Jalori Pass Declare Jalori a “Spiritual Eco-Sensitive Area” Start mass awareness drives about the divine value of such places Clean-up campaigns with help from local devta committees The message is clear: Get out of our own way before the sacred stops us. Tourism without commitment is ruin. When deities speak, we must listen — before the damage becomes irreversible. Let’s stop treating Jalori, Shrikhand, and other devta places like party places. They are gateways to energy, history, and spiritual power — and deserve silence, respect, and preservation. What is happening at Shrikhand Mahadev and Jalori Pass is not an exception — it is the same story repeating across Himachal Pradesh. 🙏 It’s Time to Listen If we truly respect our Devtas — then we must respect their message. The Shrikhand Yatra's suspension or regulation is not a defeat of faith; rather, it is a defense of faith. Let the mountains breathe. Let the sacredness return. Let the silence speak louder than the footsteps of thousands.

🧭 A Call for Sacred Responsibility

Restrict tourism in sacred eco-sensitive zones Ban plastic, loud music, and vehicle honking near temples and trails Create awareness among pilgrims about respecting nature Build proper rescue, waste, and sanitation systems during yatras

✅ Solutions for Everyone: What We Must Do Now

For Residents: Raise awareness in your village about eco-friendly practices. Avoid renting land for illegal hotels or camps. Support and promote responsible tourism only.

🚶 For Tourists & Pilgrims:

Treat sacred places with respect. You are a guest in someone's spiritual home, not just a visitor. Avoid littering, loud music, and off-roading. Do not overburden fragile treks like Shrikhand, Kheerganga, or Kinnaur Kailash.

🛑 For Government & Authorities:

Regulate the number of tourists in ecologically sensitive areas. Ban plastic and loudspeakers in high-altitude religious zones. Invest in eco-friendly infrastructure, proper waste management, and safety systems during yatras.

📱 For Youth & Social Media Influencers:

Spread awareness, not selfies. Make use of your voice to educate people about the harm that Himachal is suffering. Promote clean travel and respect for Devbhoomi, not just "viral reels."

🌄 Final Words: A Call for Collective Responsibility

Himachal Pradesh is not just a tourist destination. It is a living temple, a fragile mountain ecosystem, and a sacred land blessed by deities. But our actions are turning it into a disaster zone. The increasing flash floods are not just natural — they are human-made tragedies. We must wake up — now. Let’s not wait for more lives to be lost. Let’s protect Himachal — not just for us, but for our future generations.