Dehradun, Nov. 6 -- The latest tragedy on the Kedartal trekking route in Uttarkashi, where four bodies of missing trekkers have been retrieved while search operations continue for the remaining missing members of the expedition, has once again raised serious questions about safety arrangements governing high-altitude trekking and mountaineering in Uttarakhand. The incident is far from isolated. Over the past decade, several major tragedies in Uttarkashi, including those at Lamkhaga Pass, Draupadi Ka Danda and Sahastratal, have claimed numerous lives, exposing the vulnerability of even experienced mountaineers to the unpredictable Himalayan environment.
The recurring incidents raise an uncomfortable question: are sudden changes in weather a...