Rawat's dharna on Bhagirathi ESZ in Delhi just drama : BJP

Terming recent dharna by Harish Rawat on the issue of Bhagirathi eco-sensitive zone (ESZ) at Jantar Mantar as mere drama, opposition BJP today accused him of doing nothing against the notification in this regard while he could.
Citing information received from Uttarkashi District Magistrate under RTI, BJP spokesman Vinay Goel said the state government had not even filed a petition against the ESZ notification despite Rawat being at the helm since February 2014.
"All he did was hire a Supreme Court lawyer at Rs 55,000 to plead the case but no petition has been filed yet in this regard. That shows Rawat's combativeness over the issue is fake. His dharna in Delhi on January 5 when election is notified and his tenure is coming to an end is no more than just drama," Goel told reporters here.

Last week, in a dharna in Delhi, Rawat hit out at the Narendra Modi government accusing it of meting out "step-motherly treatment" to the state and asked it to immediately approve the proposed zonal plan for Bhagirathi ESZ.
Recently, the Centre had rejected Uttarakhand's zonal plan proposal for the Bhagirathi ESZ, which starts from Gaumukh to Uttarkashi, saying the plan designed by the state government had "many shortcomings".
The ESZ notification issued by UPA-II in 2011 declares a 4500 sq km area from Gomukh to Uttarkashi as eco-sensitive zone putting restrictions on hydro projects and infrastructural development work underway in the area.

Goel also asked the Chief Minister for a report card on his tenure as it was coming to an end.
"People have a right to know and BJP as the main opposition asks the CM for his report card. He should tell people about a single noteworthy achievement of his government," he said.