Puri Shankaracharya Swami Nischalananda Saraswati has laid stress on carrying out development while respecting nature and said there is a need to maintain a balance.
Referring to the land subsidence in Joshimath, he said it is vital to respect mountains.
"They maintain the balance of the earth. Rivers and forests also maintain the earth's balance," he said, adding that the word development should be understood in its proper context.
He said earth, water and air "are sources of energy".
"It is our task to keep the earth and environment pure and pollution-free," he told ANI.
Environmentalist Dr Anil Joshi toldthat the Joshimath subsidence is a warning bell.
He talked of the long-term risks of having settlements on debris that could be left by glaciers and other natural phenomenon decades or centuries back.
He said land subsidence can also be caused by river erosion and suggested studies on population-bearing capacity of hill towns.
( With inputs from ANI )
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