Garhwal Post Bureau
Dehradun, 24 Dec: Various environmental and social organisations from across Dehradun today came together to strongly demand the immediate cancellation of forest clearance for tree felling granted in the Bhagirathi Eco Zone, an area known for its dense deodar forests. Representatives of these organisations called on the senior officials of the regional office of the Ministry of Environment and the State Forest Department and submitted a detailed memorandum highlighting their objections and concerns.
The memorandum stated that the Bhagirathi Eco Zone is an extremely sensitive ecological region where deodar forests are vital not only for biodiversity but also for water conservation and the livelihoods of local communities. Granting forest clearance in such an area, the organisations cautioned, could pose a serious threat to environmental balance and lead to irreversible ecological damage.
The organisations reminded that their initiative forms part of follow-up action in support of the ‘Raksha Sutra Abhiyan’ organised a few days ago in Harsil to protect deodar forests. According to the representatives, the local residents and environmental activists in the Harsil region had registered their protest by symbolically tying raksha sutra threads around deodar trees to highlight the need for their protection.
The environmental and social groups also demanded that before approving any project in the Bhagirathi Eco Zone, a comprehensive environmental impact assessment should be carried out and the consent of local communities should be given top priority. They also issued a warning that, in case the forest clearance is not revoked, the agitation would be intensified in the coming days.
Officials received the memorandum and assured the representatives that the matter would be examined and appropriate consideration given.
