Ecologists to raise concerns with Gadkari

Jotirmay Thapliyal

Tribune News Service

Dehradun, January 14

Environmentalists of Uttarakhand have planned to meet Union Minister for Road Transport and Highways Nitin Gadkari to express their concern over rampant felling of trees in higher hills of the state to make way for widening of the proposed all weather roads.

A team of environmentalists recently surveyed various parts of Uttarakhand hills that are part of all weather roads and are witnessing widespread felling of trees for widening of the road. 

One of the team members Suresh Bhai said starting from April up till December last year, the study team went from village to village to assess the outcome of felling of trees and blasting taking place for road widening for the ambitious all weather roads project.

He said trees were being felled in large numbers for road widening which could have serious ramifications for the region’s environment. He said apart from bringing down trees, mud and boulders are being dumped in rivers.

Suresh Bhai has said the Harsil-Bhairoghati area in Uttarkashi district is high environmentally sensitive and is all set to witness a large scale felling down of trees, which is a matter of serious concern. He said during the survey, the environment team found debris being dumped into river Bhagirathi and asserted that such practice could be the cause of floods. The study team also found out that land of farmers had been acquired which was affecting their source of livelihood.

He said a delegation of environmentalists led by Radha Behn, an environment activist and recipient of the Indira Gandhi Environment Award, would shortly meet   Nitin Gadkari and apprised him of the negative fallout to the region’s environment if trees were indiscriminately felled in hills.

The all-weather road project has been started in Uttarakhand for facilitating Char Dham pilgrims, who come in big numbers every year. The Prime Minister had inaugurated the project.