Dr. G.D. Agrawal calls off his fast !
NOTED ENVIRONMENTALIST Professor GD Agarwal, on Friday (February 20), broke his fast after the government gave him assurance that the work will be stopped at 600 MW Loharinag-Pala hydel project on Bhagirathi.
Since January 14, Prof. Agarwal had been on his fast-unto-death, urging the government to discontinue all construction work that affected the water flow of the Bhagirathi. The contention of the noted environmentalist is that the very existence of the Ganges is being threatened by the construction of multiple barrages and hydro-electric projects planned along the Himalayan stretch of the Bhagirathi.
The decision was taken after a long meeting between the representatives of Bhagirathi Bachao Sankalp and Union Power minister Sushil Kumar Shinde.
India's leading environmentalists and social activists had also come forward to support Prof Agarwal. On January 30, noted Gandhians of the country had also undertaken a collective fast to support Prof. Agarwal's cause.
Dr Agarwal is the doyen of environmental engineering in the country and is a much sought after Environmental Impact Assessment consultant. A former IIT Kanpur professor and the first member secretary of Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB), he played an important part in shaping India's pollution control regulatory regime.
Although weak, Prof. Agarwal's health is stable.
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1. Good News: The Uttarakhand
Good News: The Uttarakhand High Court today suspended the Centre's decision to put on hold the 600-MW Lohari Nagpala hydel project on the Bhagirathi river in Uttarkashi.
A division bench of the High Court headed by Justice P C Pant and B S Verma granted an interim relief on a petition filed by the Rural Litigation and Entitlement Kendra (RLEK), a Dehra Dun-based NGO, which had sought the immediate resumption of the work of the project, suspended by the Centre last week.
"Three cheers for RLEK !!!. However it is interim relief for NTPC. The same Prof G.D.Agarwal had been earlier on an indefinite fast in June '08 at Uttarkashi with a demand to absolute ban on every HE projects between Gangotri and Uttarkashi to save the Ganga. BJP govt. of Uttarakhand suspended two of its projects namely Pala Maneri and Bhaironghati. RLEK had in an earlier petition also challenged this decision of the state govt in the Nainital High Court.
Following the suspension of the work on state govt. projects, the central government declared Ganga as a national river and a High-Level Expert Group (HLEG) was formed to examine the ground situation of the river and give its recommendations on the availability of water and other objections raised by Prof Agarwal. The HLEG recommended 16 cumec of water should flow in the riverbed of Bhagirathi at all times. Meanwhile, the work on the LN project was continued by NTPC.
Prof Agarwal again raised objections on the constitution of the HLEG and resumed his fast on January 13 in New Delhi. As central govt seems to be dislike making Ganga as an issue in forthcoming election and suspended the work. As work has resumed, so it is beyond doubt that within couple of days Prof G D Agrawal will come up with new issues to stop the development work of state.
2. R/SIR I HEARTLY WELCOME TO
R/SIR
I HEARTLY WELCOME TO PROF GD AGGARWAL AND ALWAYS LIKE TO INSIST THEM TO SAVE THE NATURE HE CAN ONLY DO THIS WORK BECAUSE FIGHT WITH THIS MUCH LARGE SYSTEM IS NOT A EASY TASK BUT IT IS SURE ONE DAY PROF GD AGGARWAL WILL SUCESS IN HIS MISSION
SINCERLY
JAYPAL SINGH RAWAT
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