Chamoli: The village of Uttarakhand, which once guided the world the lesson of environmental protection, is facing the brunt of the natural disaster. We are talking about Raini village in Chamoli district where 35 people have lost their lives and more than 160 people are still missing in the disaster caused by the breaking of the glacier last Sunday. Relief and rescue work has been going on in the disaster-hit area for the last four days.
Gaura Devi got the village recognised
Raini village, which is being identified today due to the disaster, was once known by the people around the world because of Gaura Devi, who lives here. If you do not know about Gaura Devi, then you must have heard about the Chipko movement. The Chipko movement was also known in the 70s as the Gaura Devi movement in the country and around the world for environmental protection.
Movement for environmental protection
In order to save the trees and environment, Gaura Devi clashed with the jungle mafias at that time. Along with 27 other women, she not only drove away from the forest mafias from here but also kept the trees close to her chest, raising her voice against the atrocities till the mafias gave up. After that movement, Gaura Devi became a known name not only in the country but all around the world.
Chipko movement to save the forest
People are now forced to flee Raini village, which was once known for the Chipko movement in the country. Raini village is again in the news after the disaster. A huge amount of debris came out hitting Raini village on Sunday, bordering the Indo-China border in Chamoli district of Uttarakhand, which not only engulfed several dams but also took the lives of 35 people. At the same time, hundreds of people are still being reported missing.
Three decades ago 50 families lived in the village
The total population of this village used to be 55 to 50 families about 30 years ago. The people living in this village, situated amidst beautiful mountain ranges, never wanted to leave, but after the disaster on Sunday, people here are very scared. However, the process of emptying the village was already started about 10 years ago.
ETV Bharat reaches Raini village
When our team entered this village, they saw a big gate which had the names of Gaura Devi and 27 other women, who had once fought a long battle to save the village and the trees there. Arriving in the village, we saw that there was a complete silence here after the disaster. People have either left their homes or moved to Joshimath, Gopeshwar or low-lying areas, or are sitting in their courtyard looking at the river and wondering how the life ahead will be lived.
Silence in the village after the disaster
After the disaster, as soon as we entered the village, we met Darban Singh. When we asked him why there is so much silence in the village, Singh said that there is panic among the people of the village. After the disaster, the people feel that anytime the glacier will break and come to haunt their village. He said that all this is the result of tampering with nature and indiscriminate felling of trees. Recalling the old things, he said that he was about 15 years old, when Gaura Devi, who was leading the Chipko movement, became ill and he took her to the hospital with the help of a chair. If she were alive today, she would probably have protected the environment and would have done the work of stopping the exploitation of mountains, which are being mined today.
ETV Bharat reaches Gaura Devi’s house
Darban Singh took our team to the house of Gaura Devi. We saw an elderly man standing on the roof of his house. When we asked him about his introduction, he said that he was Gaura Devi’s son. About 75 years old Chandra Singh took us to his terrace with great love and respect and told us about the disaster on Sunday. He said that when he was sitting on the terrace in the morning, then he heard a loud sound and smoke. After which he started running towards the forest with his grandchildren. He said that he was breathless, but he was worried about his grandchildren more than him. So he remained seated in the forest for three days.
Gaura Devi’s son narrates disaster
Talking to ETV Bharat Chandra Singh said that he loves his village very much because his mother has done a lot of work by staying in this village. His childhood has also been spent here, but Chandra Singh is very upset since the incident on Sunday. He says that the government should displace this village. Chandra Singh said that he had spent his entire life here, but the future generations are sitting at the mouth of danger. Therefore, the children and elders of the village are now making the same demand that they should be settled at a safer place.
If grandmother would not have been a disaster’
Gaura Devi’s grandson Sohan Singh also said the same thing. Sohan said that he did not see his grandmother working at that time, but from what he has read and heard, it is known that she always fought for the environment, water, forest and land. If she were alive now, the way the power plant is being built here; streets are being widened by blasting and the damage that is being done to the village does not happen and this disaster did not have occurred too. He said that whatever happened has happened. Now no one is feeling safe here. So the government should relocate them from here and settle them at a safer place.
Gaura Devi’s companions are afraid of disaster
The three women who stood shoulder to shoulder in the movement with Gaura Devi are still alive in the village. After talking to them it became clear that the people of the village are very scared. With wrinkles on the face and the narration of that incident, they said that the doors of the house have not been closed for the last four days in the village. The house has not been cleaned. If the helicopter passes over the house, the whole body starts trembling. They do not feel like going inside the house because they fear to hear the inundation and all those screams again. Even today all these women leave their houses in the evening and stay in the cow shelter built above the house.
Keeping Raini village inhabited, a challenge for the government
After talking to all the people of the village, we felt that it is very difficult to remove the fear that has crept inside these people. Therefore, the government will have to take necessary and concrete steps as soon as possible to keep the village of Raini on the Indo-China border inhabited.
Also Read: Lake formed at Rishiganga mouth, threat looms large
