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The Ministry of Environment has warned the NGT about unchecked construction along the Uttarkashi-Gangotri highway, citing threats to the region's fragile ecology. A monitoring committee has been formed to enforce Bhagirathi Eco-Sensitive Zone rules, overseeing hotels, resorts, and waste management projects. This follows the early August Dharali disaster, which destroyed over 100 houses and caused multiple casualties. The BESZ, covering 4,179.6 sq km, has been amended several times to ensure eco-friendly development. The committee has legal authority to act against violations and ensure compliance with environmental safeguards.
The Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEFCC) has raised serious concerns over unregulated construction along the Uttarkashi-Gangotri highway in Uttarakhand. In a report submitted to the National Green Tribunal (NGT), the ministry stated that a monitoring committee has been formed to ensure strict enforcement of the Bhagirathi Eco-Sensitive Zone (BESZ) regulations. This committee will oversee all ongoing and proposed construction, including hotels, resorts, and waste management facilities, ensuring that development activities follow environmental norms. Advertisement
The ministry highlighted that the fragile ecosystem of the Gangotri Dham region faces significant risks due to uncontrolled construction. The terrain is highly vulnerable to landslides, erosion, and glacial changes. This alert follows a major disaster in Dharali village in early August, when more than a hundred houses collapsed during flash floods. Four people were confirmed dead, twelve missing individuals were later declared dead, and approximately forty others, including twelve Nepalese nationals, are still missing.
The BESZ, first notified in 2012, covers roughly 4,179.6 sq km along the Bhagirathi river watershed from Gaumukh to Uttarkashi. Its purpose is to preserve the river's ecology, safeguard community rights, and permit only eco-friendly development. The notification has been amended multiple times, first in April 2018 and later in November 2022, when the authority for approving the zonal master plan was shifted from the central government to the state government. Under the plan approved in August 2020, all construction in sensitive zones must comply with strict conditions and be overseen by the monitoring committee.
The ministry emphasized that the monitoring committee, led by a competent authority, has powers under Section?19 of the Environment (Protection) Act, 1986, to take action against violations of BESZ rules. Earlier, the NGT had taken suo motu notice of reports about increasing construction activity in this high-altitude pilgrimage corridor and had sought a detailed report on the matter. The ministry also underscored the need for careful waste management and adherence to eco-sensitive construction norms to prevent further environmental degradation.
The ministry's intervention reflects the continuing ecological vulnerability of the Gangotri region and the urgent need to balance development with environmental conservation. Effective implementation of BESZ guidelines, combined with oversight from the newly formed committee, will be crucial to protect both the fragile terrain and the communities living in the area.
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