Citing displacement woes, Dehra MLA Hoshyar Singh raises alarm over expanding Pong sanctuary jurisdiction, CM promises review
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The Newz Radar
DHARAMSHALA: Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu has said that the state government would review its draft policy prepared regarding the eco-sensitive zone of Pong Wildlife Sanctuary.
Dehra MLA Hoshyar Singh had brought a calling attention motion in the House under Rule 62 on the draft to create an eco-sensitive zone around the Pong Dam Wildlife Sanctuary. On this, the Chief Minister said that a draft related to the eco-sensitive zone had been issued and the central government had called a meeting on December 27 regarding this. In this meeting, the government would present its stand and try to reduce the area of eco-sensitive zone so that all kinds of activities could be started here.
The Chief Minister said that according to rules, eco-sensitive zones were to be declared around the sanctuary and until its limits were determined, only 10 km area within its radius would be considered eco-sensitive zone. Holding the previous government responsible for the current draft of Pong Dam, he said that the previous BJP government had “ruined the situation”.
While justifying the concern of MLA Hoshyar Singh, the Chief Minister said that first BBMB had built Pong Dam here and now it was being declared a sensitive zone, which was a serious issue. He said that an answer had to be given to the central government as well as the Supreme Court regarding the eco-sensitive zone, hence “we cannot stop the creation of an eco-sensitive area here, but the government will work to reduce it so that activities can take place here”.
Earlier, Hoshyar Singh presented a calling attention motion in the House and said that the issue of Pong Dam Sanctuary was related to five Assembly constituencies. He said that first a wildlife sanctuary was created and now an eco-sensitive zone was being created here. Hoshyar Singh said that 25,000 families had been uprooted due to the Pong Dam, of which 7,000 people had not received claims to date. After making the sanctuary, he said, people were not able to do farming here and cases were being registered against those doing so.
Hoshyar Singh said that 114 sq km area near Pong Dam in Sunchari was put in eco-sensitive zone and no one was even asked for this. “No activities can be done in the eco sensitive zone. With its formation, every work will have to be approved by the central government,” he said. The MLA said that 58 villages had been included in this zone and the people here were strongly opposing it. “In such a situation, its making should be banned,” he said, demanding that Pong Dam be removed from the list of wetlands and the land named after Pong Dam be transferred in the name of Himachal.
