Uttarakhand opposes eco-sensitive zone

Uttarakhand has opposed the 135-km eco-sensitive zone along the river Bhagirathi from Gangotri to Uttarkashi in the Garhwal region, describing it as an anti-development measure.

During his meeting with the union Minister for Environment and Forests Jairam Ramesh at New Delhi yesterday, Chief Minister Ramesh Pokhriyal Nishank asked the centre to reconsider the decision of declaring the region between Gangotri and Uttarkashi as eco-sensitive zone.

Nishank said that Uttarakhand was a small state that had 67 per cent land covered under forests; and because of tough forest laws, the state government was facing problem in carrying out development activities.

He added that such a step is hampering the developmental activities in the state. He said that the Union government should reconsider the matter seriously and also think about the development of the state.

The Chief Minister said that Uttarakhand was the only state in the country that had the responsibility of conservation of 67 per cent forest region. In such a case, the centre should extend help by giving additional grants. Nishank further said that the state government would oppose all such moves which hamper the development of the state. He said that the state government was also sensitive towards environment-conservation and the centre should talk to the state government before taking any such decisions.

Significantly, after declaring the eco-sensitive zone, the centre had also scrapped a series of hydel projects in the region including NTPC’s 600 Mw Loharinag Pala on the recommendations of the state government.

Nishank is also seeking 2000 Mw of free power from the centre in lieu of the scrapped projects.