Despite the Centre's recent clarification the eco-sensitive zone along Bhagirathi river in Uttarkashi district will not affect development, Uttarakhand Chief Minister Vijay Bahuguna today asked it to review the decision.

The Centre had recently issued a gazette notification declaring a 100-km stretch between Gomukh and Uttarkashi along the Bhagirathi river as an eco-sensitive zone. But the measure triggered widespread protests in the region over the development issue. The chief minister had met Prime Minister Manmohan Singh calling for review of the measure, with a plea that it would affect hydel projects with a capacity of 1,743 Mw.

Uttarakhand Chief Minister Vijay Bahuguna on Monday met Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and opposed the new 4,179.59 sq km eco-sensitive zone in the Bhagirathi Valley, which put tough restrictions on tourism and hydel projects in the hill state.

Bahuguna, leading a delegation comprising the party's state MPs and Congress general secretary Birendra Singh at Parliament house, told Singh there should be a review of the eco-sensitive zone where the area has been increased from 40 sq km to 4179.59 sq km, without taking the consent of the state. Bahuguna also met the minister for state for environment and forest, Jayanthi Natarajan, separately on the issue and urged the centre to set up a high-powered committee to review the eco sensitive zone.

Uttarakhand Chief Minister Vijay Bahuguna today strongly opposed the Centre's recent notification declaring a vast stretch of land from Gaumukh to Uttarkashi on either side of the Bhagirathi river

The Uttarakhand government has strongly opposed the Central government' decision to issue a gazette notification to declare area around both sides of the about 100km-long banks of the river Bhagira

Hydropower is important. But how important? Is it important enough to dry out stretches of our rivers? Or is there a way to balance energy needs with the imperative of a flowing, healthy river?

I have been grappling with these issues for the past few months. But now that the committee (of which I was a member) on the hydropower projects on the Ganga has submitted its report, let me explain how I see the way ahead.

Recognizing that the plethora of dams built and planned in the Ganga basin could almost empty the river of its waters in the winter season, an inter-ministerial group has recommended that the proje

The Inter-Ministerial Group on Ganga river management was oriented more towards building dams and less towards saving the river, renowned water conservationist Rajendra Singh wrote in his dissent note on the IMG’s report.

The Magsaysay award winning conservationist, popularly known as “Waterman,” was here on Wednesday to talk about issues related to the conservation and revival of the Ganga. Accompanying him was celebrated environmental engineer G.D. Agrawal, also known as Swami Gyan Swarup Sanand. The duo objected to the IMG's recommendation to reduce the Ganga’s environmental flow, which is the quantity, timing and quality of water flow necessary to sustain freshwater and estuarine ecosystems and the human livelihoods dependant on these ecosystems.

ALLAHABAD: Although seers and pilgrims coming to MahaKumbh, or otherwise too, have time and again raised their voice against the falling level of water in the holy Ganga, the actual area of concern