Howrah (West Bengal) : Puri Shankaracharya Swami Nischalananda Saraswati laid strain on sporting out development while respecting nature and said there may be a want to hold a balance.
The hilly town of Uttarakhand’s, Joshimath has been declared a ‘sinking zone’ in the wake of continuing land subsidence, with several houses, roads, & other buildings developing cracks.
Swami Nischalananda Saraswati, referring to Joshimath’s land subsidence, said it is vital to respect mountains. “They maintain the balance of the earth. Rivers and forests also maintain the earth’s balance”.
He also added that the word development should be understood in its proper context. He said earth, water and air “are sources of energy”.”It is our task to keep the earth and environment pure and pollution-free”.
Dr Anil Joshi, an Environmentalist, said that the Joshimath subsidence is a warning bell. He talked of the long-term risks of having settlements on debris that could be left by glaciers and other natural phenomenon decades or centuries back.
He said land subsidence can also be caused by river erosion and suggested studies on the population-bearing capacity of hill towns.
