Making Molehills of Mountains: Tales of Uttarakhand’s Climate Crisis and an Uncertain Development Model

Contents: Dedication. Foreword. Editorial. Grassroots Success Stories: 1. Standing Tall, Like the Mountains. 2. A Quiet Revolution. 3. Bringing the Forest Horne. Three Under 30: 4. Navigating Uncertainty. 5. A Teenager's Mandate. 6. Leveraging Law to Combat Unsustainable Development. Expert Articles: 7. Warming Climate, Shrinking Glaciers. 8. From Combative to Collaborative. 9. Feeling Under the Weather. Guest Articles: 10. Learning to Read the Signs: Need for Climate Change Education. 11. Tackling Climate Change: The Uttarakhand Story. 12. Choosing Chisan in Uttarakhand. 13. Insights on Climate Change and Disasters in Uttarakhand, Himalayan Region: Review of Recent Research (2023-2024). Uttarakhand Disaster and Accident Analysis Initiative (UDAAI) 2024: Monthly Recap. Uttarakhand Natural Disaster Reports (2020-2024). Caught in Climatic Catastrophes and More: UDAAI Analysis 2024. Writers, Experts, and Editors.

The second installment in the Making Molehills of Mountains series, this book critically examines the escalating climate crisis in Uttarakhand and the consequences of an unsustainable development model. The year 2024 has been marked by an alarming surge in climate-induced disasters—rampant forest fires, devastating landslides, torrential rains, and catastrophic cloudbursts. Fast-receding glaciers and a growing number of glacial lakes threaten the delicate balance of the region, putting both people and ecosystems at unprecedented risk. Alongside these environmental challenges, the book scrutinises the rapid loss of green cover, unchecked mountain excavation for large-scale infrastructure projects, dwindling water springs, and the growing menace of land subsidence. It urges a critical re-evaluation of Uttarakhand’s current development strategies and highlights the need for a more sustainable path forward. Enriched with expert insights, grassroots narratives, and data-driven analysis, this book is an urgent call to action—for policymakers, environmentalists, and every citizen who cares about the future of the Himalayas. 

This is more than a book; it is a wake-up call. A must-read for those who wish to understand and address the climate and ecological challenges facing Devbhoomi Uttarakhand.