Villagers oppose Gangotri region as eco-sensitive zone

Mussoorie/Uttarkashi, Dec 17

Residents of around 88 villages staged a dharna at the Collectorate office in Uttarkashi yesterday against the plans of the state government to implement the eco-sensitive zone clause in the Gangotri region.

The protesters gathered in front of the District Magistrate’s office in Uttarkashi under the banner of the Sanyukt Sangarsh Samiti and raised slogans against the government. They said they would continue with their protest till the government take back the decision to declare the Gangotri region as an eco-sensitive zone.

Bhatwadi block pramukh Chandan Singh Panwar said all development activities in the region would come to a standstill if it was declared an eco-sensitive zone, compounding the misery of the people already suffering due to natural disasters.

He told mediapersons that if the government did not take back the eco-sensitive zone decision they would organise a bandh on December 18 and all business units and markets would be shut for a day. He said they would be also take to legal recourse also.Jitendar Rana, zila panchayat, Sadasya, Taknaur, Rajendar S Panwar, president of the Vyapar Association, Suresh Chauhan, former block pramukh, and others were present on the occasion.

The National Ganga River Basin Authority (NGRBA) had declared areas starting from Gaumukh where the Alaknanda begins as an eco-sensitive zone. The Uttarakhand government had opposed the decision in 2012, when the Centre declared a riverfront area of Bhagirathi extending from Gangotri to Uttarkashi as eco-sensitive zones.

The state government argued that such a step would dampen development activities in the region. Earlier, the BJP government in the state had opposed the eco-sensitive zone plan. However, in a fresh move the state government would soon enforce the final notification of the Centre on the eco-sensitive zone spreading from Bhagirathi to Uttarkashi, a total area of 4,179.59 km. This region covers the watershed area of about 100 km stretch of the Bhagirathi inviting anger of the people living in the region. — TNS