Winter session: CPI moves notices seeking discussion on 'Himalayan ecology'

Communist Party of India (CPI) MP Binoy Viswam on Monday submitted a notice under Rule 267 demanding suspension of business in the upper house to discuss the ecology of the Himalayas.

In his notice, the CPI MP said that the issue must be addressed in the Rajya Sabha because it poses a severe threat to workers who are at the forefront of development projects in the Himalayan region.

This came in the backdrop of Uttarakhand's Shilkyara tunnel collapse, wherein 41 workers got trapped and were rescued after a 17-long day.

"It is learnt that Shilkyara tunnel incident is not an isolated one but bas occurred for over 30 times in the last 5 years underscoring the negligence of human safety. The lack of proper safety measures being followed including the lack of adequate insurance provided to these workers is a matter of grave significance and cannot be overlooked. The Himalayas are young and still evolving mountains with potential of great volatility," Viswam said.

He further said that the climate of the entire South Asia is dependent on the Himalayas, and a risk to this region is a risk to the lifetime of the country.

"The House must consider this alarming situation with urgency and allow deliberation to secure the rights of these nation-builders and concerns of nature. In light of this, the business of the house must be suspended and this issue taken up for discussion," he added.

On November 12, a section of the tunnel between 205 and 260 metres from the Silkyara side collapsed. 41 workers who were beyond the 260-metre mark were trapped, with their exit blocked.

After huge efforts by different rescue teams and 16 days of rescue operations, all 41 labourers were safely evacuated on November 28.

Notably, the government held an all-party meeting on Saturday for the smooth functioning of the session, which will have 15 sittings between December 4 and December 22.