Dehradun, July 18 (IANS) Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami on Saturday announced a halt to the tree-felling at the ‘Saat Mod’ forest stretch in Dehradun for the Bhaniyawala–Rishikesh highway-widening project, stating that no work will happen until a consensus is reached with all the stakeholders.
He directed the officials to consider local sentiments, the environment, and stakeholder concerns, adding that the government will move forward on the basis of dialogue and public interest.
This came as environmentalists and locals have been protesting the felling of over 4,000 trees for a road expansion project.
As the demonstration stretched across days, people and environmentalists, instead of celebrating Uttarakhand’s annual Harela festival (which celebrates trees and nature), marked ‘Black Harela’ on Thursday to protest the expansion project.
CM Dhami, taking to X, said, “I have taken serious note of the concerns and suggestions expressed in recent days by numerous citizens, environmental enthusiasts, and local residents regarding the Dehradun–Rishikesh four/six-lane project.”
He said that the Bhaniyawala–Rishikesh highway-widening project is an important infrastructure initiative of the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI), on which “proceedings were being carried out in compliance with the directions of the Hon’ble High Court as well as all necessary statutory and environmental approvals and procedures”.
“Keeping wildlife conservation in mind, provisions have also been made in the project for arrangements such as an approximately 3.5-kilometre-long elephant underpass and special culverts for the movement of smaller wildlife, which will help reduce incidents of human-wildlife conflict and wildlife deaths in road accidents, events that are often observed on this route,” the Chief Minister said.
The NHAI has maintained that the project is being executed “in accordance with mitigation measures recommended by experts, particularly in view of elephant corridors along the stretch”. The approximately 20-kilometre-long project is being built under the Hybrid Annuity Mode (HAM) at the cost of Rs 743 crore.
CM Dhami said that while development is crucial, public sentiments will not be ignored and directed the officials to establish a dialogue with the locals.
“Development is essential for us, but no decision will be taken while ignoring public sentiments, the environment, and local interests. With this very objective in mind, I have directed the Chief Secretary and officials concerned to once again establish detailed dialogue with all stakeholders, local citizens, public representatives, and experts,” he said.
The Chief Minister said that further proceedings will be conducted with “full respect for the directions and decisions of the Hon’ble High Court”. At the same time, he said that felling of trees under this project “will remain suspended until a satisfactory atmosphere of consensus and trust is established with all parties”.
“For me, Uttarakhand’s nature, public sentiments, and the state’s development — all three are equally important. Our government will move forward only on the basis of dialogue, consensus, and broad public interest,” CM Dhami added.
–IANS
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