Uttarakhand aftermath: Eco-sensitive zone in place, Natarajan

Amid a raging debate over what caused the Uttarakhand disaster, Environment Minister Jayanthi Natarajan today said an eco-sensitive zone plan is in place in the hill state and that authorities should not compromise with the fragile ecology of the region.

Environmentalists maintained that the flood ravage was a man-made disaster waiting to happen while the administration insisted it was a natural calamity with Chief Minister Vijay Bahuguna describing the flash floods as unprecedented caused by a 'Himalayan tsunami'.

'As the minister for environment, I feel that it is an ecologically fragile zone and the eco-sensitive zone proposal needs to remain in place,' Natarajan told reporters here.

'The National Ganga River Basin Authority (NGRBA) headed by the Prime Minister has recommended that there should be an eco-sensitive zone of 130 kms from Gomukh where the Alaknanda begins, to Uttarkashi. The proposal was accepted and draft notification was put in place in 2011. Later it became a final notification, therefore that notification is in force,' she said.

'At a time like this when so many thousands are stranded (in Uttarakhand), and rescue operations are going on, I think the first priority is rescue and relief, and after that, I believe very strongly that the eco-sensitive zone proposal is vital and important,' she said.

Natarajan said the Uttarakhand Chief Minister has a different point of view.

'The Assembly has passed a resolution. The BJP CM before him also had the same point of view. They believe that the Uttarakhand development will be affected by this proposal, the minister said.

The Uttarakhand government has demanded that the Centre quash the gazette notification. It feels that the notification, when implemented, would cause misery to the people of the region and bring all developmental activity including building of border roads to a grinding halt.

'In a democracy, we have to discuss things. However, I believe this is not the time to bring those issues to the fore. I think all of us have to join hands to ensure relief and rescue and to make sure all people are safe,' Natarajan said.

The notification is in force. It has to be followed, she said.

'Lessons learnt (from the Uttarakhand calamity) is something we need to discuss later,' she added.

The December 18, 2012 notification has declared an area of 4179.59 sq km, covering the entire watershed around a 100-km stretch of the Bhagirathi from Gomukh to Uttarkashi, an eco-sensitive zone under the Environment Protection Act, 1986.