CENTRE PROPOSES URBAN AREA RESTRICTIONS IN 12 STATES FOR ENVIRONMENT PROTECTION IN HIMALAYAS

SHRI T.R. BAALU CALLS FOR AN INTEGRATED ACTION PLAN FOR SUSTAINABLE MOUNTAIN DEVELOPMENT

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The Union Minister of Environment and Forests, Shri T.R. Baalu has urged the 12 Himalayan states to draw up an integrated action programme for sustainable mountain development and to improve the quality of life and environment in the inherently fragile region. He was inaugurating a two-day Conference on sustainable mountain development at Darjeeling today. The Minister emphasised the need for comprehensive evaluation of ecological concerns of mountain ecosystems and for active participation all stakeholders in mountain development.

At a meeting of the Environment Ministers of 12 Himalayan States last night, Shri Baalu proposed several restrictions in location planning in urban areas in the hills to improve the quality of environment in the Himalayas. He has asked these states to send their comments at the earliest for issuing a final notification incorporating these restrictions for implementation. The proposed restrictions include:

1. Banning construction in areas with slope above 30 degrees.

2. Tourists resorts, commercial complexes and institutional buildings to be located only in areas with surplus water and electricity.

3. Banning of cutting of hills causing slope instability.

4. Areas rich in ground water not to be diverted for construction activities.

5. Environmental impact assessment to be carried out for construction of roads more than 5 kms. in length.

6. Roof-top rainwater harvesting to be made compulsory for future construction in urban areas and

7. Banning institutional and commercial building from drawing water from existing water supply schemes, which adversely affects water supply to local villages or settlements.

The 12 Himalayan states are Assam, Arunachal Pradesh, Manipur, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Nagaland, Sikkim, Tripura, West Bengal, Uttaranchal, Himachal Pradesh and Jammu & Kashmir.

The Ministry of Environment And Forests will organise three more workshops and seminars on sustainable mountain development at Almora, Aizal and Pachmarhi as a part of the efforts for evolving an integrated action programme for sustainable development with the involvement of all concerned stakeholders. One such workshop was held in Kodaikamal, Tamil Nadu last month.