NGT directs U’khand to expedite Char Dham carrying capacity assessment

Dehradun: National Green Tribunal (NGT) has directed the Uttarakhand govt to expedite the process of assessing and implementing a carrying capacity for the Char Dham pilgrimage sites – Yamunotri, Gangotri, Kedarnath and Badrinath. The order comes ahead of the yatra scheduled to commence on April 19.

On Tuesday, the state informed the principal bench that a draft report on carrying capacity will be submitted within a week. NGT also directed the state to file a detailed progress report at least a week before the next hearing scheduled for July 21, and to ensure that the applicants are given an opportunity of hearing during the consultation process. The directive came while hearing a petition filed in 2023 by Urvashi Shobhna Kachari and Shashikanth Purohit, which raised environmental concerns over unregulated pilgrim footfall, vehicle limits and waste management at the four sites.

The tribunal’s order has once again flagged a concern that has remained unresolved for years. In May 2022, the state govt had introduced pilgrim limits at the shrines, only to withdraw them less than a year later in April 2023 following protests from stakeholders associated with the yatra. With no cap in place since then, the tribunal has repeatedly pressed the state to establish a scientifically determined limit and has pointed out that in the absence of any such ceiling, the question of accountability in the event of a disaster remains unanswered.

In its response affidavit dated April 2, the state submitted that a meeting chaired by the chief secretary on March 24 had taken key decisions. These included circulation of the Wildlife Institute of India (WII) report to departments concerned, publication of summaries in newspapers by district magistrates and consultation with stakeholders such as temple committees, hotel associations, transport operators and other local groups.

The state govt had sought six months to complete the exercise. However, the NGT observed that such a duration is not reasonable and emphasised the need for expeditious action.