135 km stretch of Ganga in Uttarakhand gets green shield

The central government has declared a 135 km stretch of the Ganga river from Gaumukh to Uttarkashi in Uttarakhand an eco-sensitive zone, Environment and Forests Minister Jairam Ramesh said Tuesday. The decision was taken in the National Ganga River Basin Authority (NGRBA) meeting chaired by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh Monday.

"The NGRBA gave in principle approval under section (3) of the Environment Protection Act (EPA) of 1986 to declare the 135 km stretch from Gaumukh to Uttarkashi as eco-sensitive zone," said Ramesh. The NGRBA is a planning, financing, monitoring and coordinating body of the central government and the states. The objective of the NGRBA is to check pollution and conserve the Ganga through comprehensive planning and management. "The NGRBA ratified a decision to abandon three hydel power projects - Loharinag Pala, Bhairon Ghati, and Pala Maneri - in Uttarakhand," he said.