The Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEF&CC) recently approved the Zonal Master Plan for the Bhagirathi Eco-Sensitive Zone. This decision has been made in hopes of facilitating more efficient execution of the Char Dham Road Project.
The Background of Bhagirathi Eco-Sensitive Zone
In 2012, the MoEF&CC issued a gazette notification that declared a watershed area along the stretch of river Bhagirathi an Eco-Sensitive Zone (ESZ). This ESZ covers an area of 4,179.59 sq km from Gaumukh to Uttarkashi. As per the Environment Protection Act of 1986, ESZs are designed to safeguard ecologically important areas from industrial pollution and unregulated development.
The 2012 notification officially recognized this region as an ESZ with the aim of preserving the local population’s rights and privileges and promoting eco-friendly development for their livelihood security. Important restrictions were put in place to protect the fragile Himalayan region, including limitations on hydropower projects exceeding 2 MW, riverbed mining, and changes of land use.
Amendment to the 2012 notification
An amendment to the 2012 notification was enacted in 2018 in response to objections from the Uttarakhand government, who contended that the notification was anti-development. The 2018 amendment permitted land use changes to accommodate local needs, which include civic amenities and infrastructure development in the public interest and national security with prior approval from the State Government.
It also allowed for hillcutting in eco-sensitive areas and building on steep slopes in exceptional cases for community benefits, given adequate environmental impact studies are conducted.
Zonal Master Plan for Bhagirathi ESZ
After the Bhagirathi ESZ notification, the Uttarakhand government was required to prepare a Zonal Master Plan (ZMP) for implementation. The ZMP is based on a watershed approach, encompassing the governance of areas like forest and wildlife, watershed management, irrigation, energy, tourism, public health and sanitation, road infrastructure, etc.
Watershed development is designed to follow a participatory, bottom-up strategy for planning an execution plan that’s contextually appropriate. It also strengthens local institutions, conservation efforts, and resource management strategies. By approving the ZMP, it is expected that conservation and ecology will be enhanced in this area, along with provisions for permitted developmental activities.
Char Dham Road Project
The Char Dham project aims to enable all-weather connectivity to Yamunotri, Gangotri, Badrinath, and Kedarnath. The project encompasses 53 initiatives spanning 826 km, with an expected investment of Rs. 12,000 crore. Bhagirathi, the source stream of Ganga, originates from the Gangotri glacier at Gaumukh, located at an elevation of 3,892 m.
Concerns Associated with Road Construction in Mountainous Regions
Concerns have been raised following the devastation induced by the Kedarnath disaster in 2015. In a report by the Geological Survey of India, it was highlighted that road construction in mountainous regions can reactivate landslides by disturbing the natural slope of the hill. Additionally, the Himalayas are a seismic Zone V, implying that major earthquakes could occur at any time. The region is especially vulnerable due to the Indian tectonic plate moving under the Eurasian tectonic plate.
