Union Rural Development Minister Jairam Ramesh on Saturday said it was wrong to assume that development will come to a halt in the 100 km-stretch in Uttarakhand which has recently been declared an eco-sensitive zone by the Centre.
“A myth is being spread that all development work will come to a standstill in the 100 km-stretch from Gomukh to Uttarkashi on either side of the Bhagirathi due to the area being declared an eco-sensitive zone,” said Jairam Ramesh, Union Minister for Rural Development, whose tenure as Union Environment Minister the proposal for declaring the area an eco-sensitive zone was drafted.
People must understand that eco-sensitive zones allow prohibited, Regulated and Permissible activity only so no need to get panic.
The notification declaring the area in Uttarkashi district may have been declared as an eco-sensitive zone through a notification but so much is yet to be done including preparation of a Master Plan, putting a ban on certain activities and allowing some others to be taken up, he said.
The Centre recently issued a gazette notification declaring the area as eco-sensitive sparking protests by locals who are apprehensive that the stature of an eco-sensitive zone will bring development activities to a halt in the area.
Even Chief Minister Vijay Bahuguna-led a delegation to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh last month asking him to put the notification on hold and implement it only after some modifications.