The National Green Tribunal has ticked off the Uttarakhand government for moving at snail’s pace in restoration work following the 2013 disaster and directed it to complete the process by March 31. The green panel said the state government should not waste any more time and start restoration and rehabilitation work “at the earliest” before the onset of monsoon.
“The restoration activity should start immediately and the Government should not waste any time as the construction and the restoration work can be carried on in the state of Uttarakhand within a very limited period and before the rainy season,” a Bench headed by NGT Chairperson Justice Swatanter Kumar said.
It also directed the state government and the monitoring committee, constituted by it, to finalise the zonal master plan and identify Eco-Sensitive Zone (ESZ) around the 100 km stretch from Gomukh to Uttarkashi without delay. The stretch was notified as ESZ by an Environment Ministry notification of December 18, 2012.
“The State would strictly abide by its undertaking before the Tribunal that no activity of any kind would be carried on in the proposed eco-sensitive area till further order of the Tribunal,” the Bench said.
It also ordered the state government to file a complete and comprehensive affidavit of compliance by the last week of February.