Dehradun, Sept. 18 -- Dehradun, and Uttarakhand, have reached the limits of the present model of development. This becomes amply clear from the damage caused by rain, cloudbursts and flash floods this monsoon season. The 'above normal' precipitation has exposed the shortcomings in infrastructure development and overall planning, which seem to have been based on the overall decline in rainfall over the years. Otherwise, why would people have built hotels, restaurants and housing on dried-up riverbeds in places like Dharali and Maldevta?
This rainy season has provided valuable lessons, which the government and the development agencies will hopefully learn and act upon. One clear message is that encroachment and construction in the rivers' te...