Chardham road project: SC panel stressed on environmental study for Gangotri route, BRO says not needed

The BRO is currently seeking clearance for 17.5 hectares of forest land for the Netala bypass project on the Gangotri-Dharasu stretch, which was earlier rejected by the high powered committee.

In connection to the forest diversion proposal, the Uttarakhand forest department had sought to know whether the bypass in BESZ needs an EC or not, sources said. In its response, the BRO in a letter on August 19 submitted that since a rapid EIA had already been carried out for the entire Chardham Pariyojana, impact studies and EC were not required.

The letter was also sent as a supporting document for the forest diversion application to the Environment Ministry’s regional empowered committee, records show.
“It is submitted that EC may not be required for the said purpose and hence necessity of EC, as brought out in the meeting under the chairmanship of Pr (principal) Secretary of MoF Govt of Uttarakhand, may be reviewed,” the BRO said in its August 19 letter, referring to the meeting with the state forest department.

The BRO justified its stand on the grounds that as per recommendations of the SC-appointed high powered committee, rapid EIAs were carried out for the entire Chardham project, which involves 53 stretches. It said the rapid EIA was conducted by the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways and it was submitted to the Environment Ministry, Uttarakhand government and the high powered committee in 2020.

When asked about the high powered committee’s recommendations, BRO Commander Vivek Srivastava told The Indian Express that the organisation’s stand was conveyed in its letter and he did not wish to comment further.

Sources in the Environment Ministry said it will look into the issue of whether an EC and EIA is required for the project or not. Uttarakhand forest department officials refused to comment on the issue.

Retired Justice A K Sikri, who heads both the high powered committee and the SC’s oversight committee that is tasked with implementing the court-ordered environmental safeguards, said the panel is yet to receive any proposal on road widening in the BESZ and added that he will seek information on the issue.

The BESZ is a 4,157 sq km expanse between Gaumukh and Uttarkashi town. It was notified in 2012 to protect River Ganga’s ecology, environment flow and watershed near its origin. The BRO has proposed the Netala bypass project between Hina and Tekhla on the Uttarkashi-Gangotri stretch of NH 34 on grounds that there are active landslide sites on the existing highway.

The Indian Express had reported on July 29 that the BRO was going ahead with the bypass project even as the SC-appointed high powered committee had recommended that it should be dropped due to geological infirmities and opposition from locals and elected representatives.

In June, independent members of the BESZ monitoring committee, which oversees implementation of the zonal master plan, had sent objections to the Uttarakhand Chief Secretary on road widening proposals under the Chardham project in the fragile stretch. They had pointed out that it was imperative for the BRO to conduct an EIA as mandated by the 2012 BESZ notification.