The indefinite hunger strike undertaken by Sameer Raturi has entered its 12th day on Tuesday in support of the demand of suspension of the operation of all the stone crushers by way of a Government order in Maletha gram Sabha and adjoining villages in Tehri district — an issue over which Maletha Sangarsh Samiti has been spearheading a movement for some time.
Raturi said he has lost 7 kg weight over the days he has been on fast. In case the order is not issued by Tuesday night, he will go the Dehradun to meet the Chief Minister Harish Rawat regarding the inquiry now underway over the fifth stone crusher.
Raturi further said that Medha Patkar has thrown her weight behind the agitation and has written to the Chief Minister, referring to the Supreme Court judgment that says that the State Government cannot sanction mining without the approval from SIA which is the agency of the Central Government. So the sanction of the stone crushers by the State Government amounts to the contempt of court, the letter ran.
This apart, Swami Shivanand of Matri Sadan and eminent environmentalist Sunder lal Bahuguna have also supported the cause the agitation is being launched. Swami Shivanand had visited the venue where hunger strike is on last Saturday and alleged that the Additional Chief Secretary Rakesh Sharma was instrumental in the stone crushers being sanctioned. He threatened to participate in the stir unless the Government steps in with the cancellation order involving all the five stone crushers operating there.
Sangarsh Samiti convener SS Bisht said that the agitators are angry over the Tourism Minister Dinesh Dhanai stonewalling the awaited order because of his vested interests in them. The village women staged demonstration in Kirtinagar and burnt the Minister in his effigy on Monday, he said.
Bisht further said that despite the Chief Minister having stopped three of the five stone crushers operating here on Thursday they would continue with their agitation till all the stone crushers are made to stop operation by way of a Government order. The former State minister Diwakar Bhatt warned that a relay hunger strike would begin from 14 February unless the Government comes up with the order.