We didn’t start the fire… (Dedicated to the youth of Mussoorie) I did posted some pictures, on the 19th of March 2014 to be very precise, on facebook and other pages that concern Mussoorie. Those are ‘dirty pictures’ and are very disturbing indeed which I took on the 11th of October 2013. I was trekking with Somya and Ashima, my regular day hike clients, when we reached Sir George Everest House after doing a round trek of Cloud’s End and Wishing Well. I was narrating to both the girls from Delhi about the historic grandeur and natural beauty that co-exist in hushed environs of Sir George Everest house only to be whispered by the flapping of numerous Tibetan praying flags. And soon we reached the green lawns of the Everest house where a picnic party had just ended. The food was apparently prepared in bulk and the tent house workers were off-loading the left over, along with plastic garbage, into the gorge from over the cliff. When I questioned the workers reasoned that they were doing it as they were told so. I asked them who had partied here; they said we don’t know we are the tent house workers. A small local boy revealed that two separate parties were ‘celebrated’ there. I took some pictures and wrote an article which appeared in Mussoorie Times on Sunday 13th of October 2013. But people these days are more facebook savvy than reading newspapers. I myself hang around on facebook whenever doing nothing. Of late, I have been observing youngsters of Mussoorie and Dehradun frequenting Sir George Everest Estate and uploading their pictures taken there while picnicking around; in fact there is an upload every day and sometimes even more. The area has gained popularity very rapidly. I remember walking up the distance during my college days on a dirt road from little ahead of Waverly Square onwards, now I see a metal road leading right up till the ridge and beyond. I just loved the entire stretch through the Haathipaon Road where I carried my camera along as I was a budding photographer then. The sight of barking deer (kaakhar), khaleej pheasants, jackals, martens and exotic birds and that of leopards in the dusk was common. Now seemingly wildlife has been scared away by vrooming motorbikes. Assuming that this is the right time to share the real picture, I uploaded the ones showing unchecked littering. I received numerous likes and comments and to my surprise, by the youngsters condemning the irresponsible act. So the question remains…who is responsible for the rampage and litter of such tranquil areas around Mussoorie? Because no matter how much you dislike and condemn it…it is happening regularly. Everybody is showing concern, liking and commenting on the status, but how many of you are actually ready to come forward and do something about it? I have e-mailed the same pictures to some concerned citizen of Mussoorie hoping for some action. But then it is you…the youth of Mussoorie who visit Everest house and other scenic locations around Mussoorie on a regular interval and I know you would never want the ‘scenic locales’ of Mussoorie to turn into ‘sad ones’. It is your own land, enjoy it to the fullest but at the same time abide by your responsibilities also. Please do not litter and discourage others to do so. Whatever plastic and other potential garbage material you carry along please make it a point to bring it back and dispose-off properly in trash boxes in the town. Be a proud citizen of Mussoorie and sing happily the famous song of the early 1990’s sung by Billy Joel-“We didnt start the fire…no we didnt light it but we’re trying to fight it”.
Posted on: Fri, 28 Mar 2014 15:10:01 +0000
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