NGT issues notice to U'khand Govt. over helicopters to Kedarnath

The National Green Tribunal (NGT) on Tuesday issued a notice to the Centre and the Uttarakhand Government over illegal and unregulated flying of helicopters to the Kedarnath shrine.

The principal bench of the NGT, headed by Justice Swatanter Kumar, issued the notice to the Ministry of Environment and Forests (MoEF) and the National Board for Wildlife (NBWL) besides the Uttarakhand Government and its authorities.

It also asked for their response on the issue of unregulated and illegal flying of helicopters over Kedarnath Wildlife Sanctuary.

The notice has been issued on the petition of an environmentalist Kavita Ashok, who stated in her plea that unregulated and low flying of helicopter over Kedarnath Wildlife Sanctuary was impacting the wildlife of the area.

The petitioner stated that she filed an RTI in the Wildlife Institute of India (WII), Dehradun and learnt that WII has also recommended interim measures for the flying of helicopter.

Kavita also stated that she has learnt that the Wildlife Institute of India in its final report had requested the Uttarakhand Government to shift the helipad which is closer to the Kedarnath shrine as it was impacting the wildlife of the area.