The mountain shenanigans

Auli, a small ski-town of Uttarakhand, is in news this week for all the wrong reasons. South Africa-based business tycoons Gupta brothers’ have been preparing the land for their two sons’ wedding. With costs hitting a whopping Rs 200 crore, the preparations include Bahubali-inspired sets, construction of luxury tents, chopper transfers and Bollywood performances by stars like Katrina Kaif, Urvashi Rautela, Kailash Kher, Sana Khan, Kanika Kapoor and Badshah. Over 250 Bollywood artists are expected to be at the celebrations, reportedly being ferried to the venue by road, flight and helicopters.

However, following up on public interest litigation (PIL) around the ecological concerns, the Uttarakhand High Court has now prevented operating of helicopter services for guests and construction of a helipad in the hills. The double wedding of NRI Gupta brothers’ is already under the scanner for being held at an altitude of 10,000 feet; and, now a group of 13 officials are closely monitoring and recording the event as per the strict orders of the Uttarakhand High Court.

Urvashi Rautela

All that jazz

The hysteria around the wedding is also creating outrage on social media and many environmental activists are upset about the huge sets and tents in remote hill locations where even trekkers are not allowed to stay overnight. According to Ashley David Cusher, an advocate with Bombay High Court, the HC had issued the direction in 2014, which applies to the Auli area in Joshimath sub-division of Chamoli District. “The government circumvented laws and regulations for reasons best known to them. It is unfortunate and even worse that the central government is quite about it. These kinds of functions would also set a very wrong precedent,” he laments.

The advocate also adds that the measures suggested by the Uttarakhand State Pollution Control Board to minimize the damage to the fragile ecology of Auli does show a possibility of environmental degradation causing permanent damage that would cause ecological imbalance.

“Failure on the part of Chamoli’s District Magistrate in taking any action against the brothers for violations of guidelines and compliance may necessitate proceedings against him for non-compliance of the court’s order. What’s more, these brothers may not even return to India after this mess, and it’s going to be the next Vijay Mallya case as regards the environment,” adds Cusher.

Wildlife thrown in the wild

While it is clearly a legal loophole, environmental activists are upset with the Uttarakhand government for having permitted the large-scale wedding in an ecologically sensitive area because the region is known for protected flora and fauna in danger of being destroyed by drastic climatic changes. Incidentally, as per environmental experts, none of our laws protecting the forests are preventive; they are merely punitive. In other words, punishment is meted out after the damage is done and after someone complains to the authorities—if the authorities choose not to bury the complaint.

Sharing his despair at Auli’s hopeless situation is environmental expert, Debasish Roy. “Either the officials are looking the other way or they’re corrupt because administrative laws are not reflecting the legislated laws. If one billionaire does it today, what’s stopping others? But the problem is that wildlife has no lawyers to speak up for them and the only thing protecting forests is culture and not laws. Sadly, exploitation of the forest areas is so lucrative and the punishment fines are so low that the green belts usually suffer. And our laws lack teeth. But we better do something to preserve the forests and hills before it’s too late,” Debasish concludes.