Tags:
Journalism of Courage
Seven months after The Sunday Express revealed how MNCs were defacing ancient rocks along the Kullu-Manali-Rohtang to advertise their products, the three-member team from the Indian Council of Conservation Institute (ICCI) is finally feeling positive about the restoration project.
‘‘The weather has been against us, but the work seems to be speeding up now,’’ says Ashok Kumar Pandey, the senior scientist heading the team. ‘‘During our first stint in November, work was slow because of the adverse weather in the upper reaches of the Manali-Rohtang area, which also has the worst defacements. The Rohtang road was finally closed because of snow in December, and we had to go back.’’
Pandey and his team returned to Himachal Pradesh on March 7, but found much of the crucial stretch still inaccessible. ‘‘Since the road is closed beyond Kothi, 15 km away from Manali, we have begun work on rocks in the lower reaches. Of the 237 rocks earmarked for restoration, we have cleaned 15 so far. We’re looking at completing the project within two years.’’
|
The Ones That Got Away
|
|
Going by the advertisements on the last eight km of the 36-km road from Bhuntar to Manikaran, the Manali-Rohtang road may well be at the other end of the world. Painted rock surfaces here tout not the MNC products, but small-time restaurants and hotels. But in terms of environmental damage, there is little to choose between the rocks alongside the two roads. Here too, efforts at damage-control (by slapping dark blue, white and even black paint) have only increased the workload for the ICCI team. ‘‘We plan to include this area in the restoration process,’’ says senior scientist Ashok Kumar Pandey. |
The process is painstaking and labour-intensive. ‘‘The sun needs time to act on the chemical. Then we use a brush with brass bristles to rub the rock surface gently, and wipe off each layer of paint with strips of semi-cotton dhotis. We place polythene bags below the work surface to ensure the chemical does not fall into the Beas. When we are through, the bags are sent to the garbage disposal plant at Manali,’’ says Pandey.
Simultaneously, the team has to keep an eye on the clock, because the region will become impassable once again come the monsoon in July-August. ‘‘Sunshine and clear weather are essential for this kind of work. Once the upper reaches of the Rohtang road opens, we’ll head up at the first opportunity,’’ says the scientist.
|
Fallout: Cleaning Up
|
|
Pandey and his team form the last link in the chain of reaction triggered by The Sunday Express’s exhaustive reports on the vandalism in the hills. Taking cognizance of the reports, the Supreme Court imposed a Rs 3-crore fine on the Himachal government, as also on Coca-Cola, Pepsi and other small and big companies. A Rs 178-lakh restoration project was envisaged and the ICCI was ordered to implement the plan. In October, ICCI D-G O P Aggrawal and Chief Project Co-ordinator Usha Aggrawal surveyed the area extensively and zeroed in on the most eco-friendly and effective method of clearing the rocks. ‘‘After the initial reports, some MNCs tried to paint 100-odd rocks to destroy evidence against themselves. Besides more time, such re-painted rocks require a larger dose of chemicals for cleaning,’’ says Pandey. ‘‘But we can do nothing about another 100 rocks, whose painted surfaces were chipped off with machine tools.’’ |
