The Hills Are Alight
Forests do not combust spontaneously. Many fires stem from the locals burning pine needles. Others may start from a carelessly thrown bidi. The forest department does not have the manpower to control their spread.
The Himalaya have been making news lately for all the wrong reasons. As fires ravage the forests of Uttarakhand, nearby Shimla is in the grip of an unprecedented water shortage that has led to angry locals taking to the streets. The Kedarnath tragedy of 2013 is still well remembered. Last year, an 18 ft drop in Nainital's lake water level made national news. Not a year goes by without
