Additional Principal Chief Conservator of Forests Jai Raj has said that the Union Government has empowered the State Government to constitute a zonal master plan (ZMP) for the Bhagirathi eco-sensitive zone. Following this expression of interest was sought and six companies had submitted their proposals which were not found up to the mark. Now the State Government has decided to ask the Central Government institutions like Forest Research Institute, Wadia Institute of Himalayan Geology, Wildlife Institute of India and Indian institute of Remote sensing (IIRS) to prepare the zonal master plan.
It would be pertinent to mention here that on December 18, 2012 the Ministry of Environment and Forests had issued a notification declaring the area between Gaumukh and Uttarkashi an eco-sensitive zone. As per the ESZ Bhagirathi river’s 100 kilometer stretch along with 4179 square kilometer area were covered. Then large number of local people had staged protest against the ESZ notification. later disaster took place in June 2013 so Union Government did not consider to make amendment in it. Following on this state government had decided to make zonal master plan for ESZ. For this six companies including AFC India ltd, New Delhi, JPS Associates Pvt ltd New Delhi, Spatial Decision New Delhi, Stantec Consulting Pvt ltd Ahmedabad, Aakar Abhinav Pvt ltd Mumbai and Rudrabhishek Pvt ltd had submitted their expressions of interest. later government had called representatives of all the six companies to make their presentation before the government.
In which except two including Stantec consulting Pvt ltd and Aakar Abhinav Pvt ltd all four made their presentation but it was not satisfactory so government decided to prepare ZMP by using state government's own agency or ask central government institutions like FRI, WIHG, WII or IIRS.
For preparing ZMP it has been made mandatory that agency concerned will have to consider environment and local inhabitants’ need as well. While having interaction will local inhabitants they have been told to speak to women especially because women play pivotal role in family economy and state as well, Jai Raj added.