Bandh against eco-sensitive zone brings Uttarkashi to a halt

Dehradun: Uttarkashi and its nearby areas including Bhatwari, Yamunotri, and Gangotri wore a deserted look as people across the region stalled work on Thursday. Vehicular traffic also came to a standstill all over the district.
The shutdown came following a December 2012 plan by the Union ministry of environment and forests to declare a 100-km stretch from Uttarkashi up till Gaumukh as an eco-sensitive zone.A two-year deadline set by the ministry at that time to hear objections by the aggrieved parties, if any, ended on Thursday.
Implementation of the order means all norms applying to ecologically unstable zones, including a blanket ban on construction and development activities in the area, will come into force with immediate effect. No buildings, including houses, schools or hospitals, can be set up in the 100-km stretch of the Uttarkashi - Gaumukh road, said experts.
About 200 protesters took to the streets in Bhatwari and Uttarkashi under the banner of Uttarkashi Sanghrash Samiti. The leaders of the umbrella group were seen coercing shopkeepers to down shutters, compelling police administration to deploy additional forces. The situation was brought under control about six hours later. Educational institutions, banks, hospitals and businesses also stayed shut for the day.
“If all development activities are banned in the region, about 30,000 people living in nearly 120 villages will lose all sources of livelihood. They will be forced to migrate to the plains in search of jobs,” said Lokendra Bisht, a social activist from Uttarkashi.
“We had given the state two years’ time to report to the Centre regarding what people have to say about the move and also suggest alternate measures if need be. But, the state did not do so,” said a senior official from MoEF who did not wish to be named.
Chief minister Harish Rawat said the state is in favour of environmental conservation keeping in view the ecological sensitivity of Uttarkashi. “However, we need to do something for the thousands of local residents who will be greatly affected after the implementation of the MoEF order,” he added.