The government has decided to declare the 135-km stretch between Gaumukh and Uttarkashi in Uttarakhand as an eco-sensitive zone, a move that will ensure that large projects, like a hydel-power project would no longer be allowed to come up in this area.
An in-principle nod in this regard was granted on Monday during the second meeting of the National Ganga River Basin Authority (NGRBA) chaired by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh.
The meeting also put its stamp of approval to the recent decision to ‘abandon’ three large power projects — at Loharinagpala, Pala Maneri and Bhairon Ghati — in these areas on environmental grounds.
“The decision to declare this stretch as an eco-sensitive zone would mean that certain kinds of activities that can have an adverse effect on environment and biodiversity would not be allowed in this area. Other activities which will be permitted will have to comply with detailed eco-management plans that would be drawn up for the area,” Environment Minister Jairam Ramesh told reporters.
Monday’s meeting also decided to raise the Central assistance to the states for projects approved by the NGRBA. As of now, the recurring costs for all projects are funded solely by the state government. On persistent demand of the states, the Centre agreed to share 70 per cent of this burden for the first three years of the implementation of the project.
The meeting was attended by Power Minister Sushilkumar Shinde, Planning Commission deputy chairman Montek Singh Ahluwalia, Chief Minister of Uttarakhand and ministers of four other states through which Ganga flows.
http://www.indianexpress.com
An in-principle nod in this regard was granted on Monday during the second meeting of the National Ganga River Basin Authority (NGRBA) chaired by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh.
The meeting also put its stamp of approval to the recent decision to ‘abandon’ three large power projects — at Loharinagpala, Pala Maneri and Bhairon Ghati — in these areas on environmental grounds.
“The decision to declare this stretch as an eco-sensitive zone would mean that certain kinds of activities that can have an adverse effect on environment and biodiversity would not be allowed in this area. Other activities which will be permitted will have to comply with detailed eco-management plans that would be drawn up for the area,” Environment Minister Jairam Ramesh told reporters.
Monday’s meeting also decided to raise the Central assistance to the states for projects approved by the NGRBA. As of now, the recurring costs for all projects are funded solely by the state government. On persistent demand of the states, the Centre agreed to share 70 per cent of this burden for the first three years of the implementation of the project.
The meeting was attended by Power Minister Sushilkumar Shinde, Planning Commission deputy chairman Montek Singh Ahluwalia, Chief Minister of Uttarakhand and ministers of four other states through which Ganga flows.
http://www.indianexpress.com
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