Members of Citizens For Green Doon held a protest on the occasion of World Environment Day to protest against attempts of the Government to hand over 25 acres of dense forest land to the Border Security Force in lacchiwala Range in Dehradun forest division.
The dharna was first held at the proposed site in lacchiwala and then at Gandhi Park. In a statement issued, the CFGD group said that the move to hand over 25 acres of dense forest land in lacchiwala range to BSF was incorrect and would deal a big blow to the environment of Dehradun and to the wildlife in the forest. It was pointed out that the proposed land is just half a kilometre from an area where elephants and other wild animals are frequently seen and making a camp there would only increase the man animal conflict. The group also pointed out that there are hundreds of acres of barren land in Uttarakhand which can easily be given to the BSF without disturbing the environment. The CFGD would oppose any such move and would take the issue to courts if necessary. It appealed to the Forest Department and to BSF to reconsider such a move in the interest of everyone. According to the CFGD chief coordinator Dr Nitin Pandey, the Central Government had sanctioned two battalions of BSF to be raised in Uttarakhand. “The forest clearance for the project was initially denied but later given under written pressure from the higher authorities in the Forest Department. We will be lodging written protests soon with the BSF authorities and the State principal chief conservator of forest,” he said. Apart from Dr Pandey, Jaya Singh, Himanshu Arora, Vineet Panchhi and laksha Mehta were also among those who participated in the protest.