To discuss in detail the notification on the eco sensitive zone, Chief Secretary Alok Kumar Jain convened a meeting with officials on Thursday. They also discussed the legal aspects, the adverse effects and practical issues involved. State government would request the union government to review the notification as it would have an adverse impact on the economic development of the state as development activity would stop in the area.
It was said at the meeting that with the implementation of the notification of eco sensitive zone, hydropower projects of 1743 MW capacity would be closed. This will cause a loss of Rs.2000 crore to the state. The mining and construction (hotels and resorts) and land use conversion would be affected between Gaumukh and Uttarkashi. It was also said that the state government had already taken measures to protect the Ganga and the environment.
Jain said that there was a lot of difference between the draft notification and the actual notification issues. In the draft, only 100 meter area on the banks of the Ganga was included but in the notification, the entire area (water supply area) from Gaumukh to Uttarkashi, has been included in the eco sensitive zone.
Earlier, the ban was on constructing hydropower projects of above 25 MW. But now, hydropower projects above 2 MW capacity have been banned.
He said objections raised by the state government regarding the draft notification had been ignored. The resolution passed by the Vidhan sabha had been sent to the centre for studying it. The chief minister has also sent a letter objecting to the declaration of the eco sensitive zone.
Other officials including Principal Chief Conservator of Forest (PCCF) Dr RBS Rawat, Principal Secretary (potable water) S Raju, Principal Secretary (Power) SS Sandhu, Secretary (urban development) MH Khan, Secretary (CM) SS Rawat and state pollution control board’s member secretary Vinod Singhal were present.