Hundreds of environmentally sensitive activists to throng at Bhainrav Ghati, Uttarkashi against the possible axing of 2000 cedar trees
About six thousand Himalayan Cedar” Devdaar ” trees are facing threat of being cut rampantly shortly in view of the widening of roads at Bhairav Ghati in Uttarkashi in connection with the All Weather Roads project of the central government which has already proved to be a disaster during the monsoon season during which there had been hundreds of incidents of landslides leading to several deaths due to the fatal accidents and traffic jams for hours together and boulders falling from the mountains on running vehicles etc. Bhainrav Ghati is ten kilometres prior to Gangotri.
This matter of environmental degradation and possibility of six thousand cedar trees likely to be axed in Bharav Ghati under the guise of widening of roads under the all weather roads project was taken up with tremendous concern in a meeting convened by the saffron party stalwart and former HRD minister Dr. Murlimanohar Joshi, eminent luminary Dr. Karan Singh and several top retired bureaucrats, intellectuals, thinkers, seismologists, environmentalists who cumulatively took a decision to reach Bairav Ghati on 7 th December, organise spiritual obeisance in respect of the trees and mobilizing people against the falling of these six thousand Devdar trees which not only give fresh air for survival of humanity but also save the land from being flooded etc.
In addition to the prayer of these trees, there will also be an initiative of Rakesh Sutra Bandan , tying of the thread around the trees a symbolic gesture as was during the chipko movement days when several women under the leadership of Gaura Devi clung to the trees finally sending back the contractors who had come at Rainy village to cut trees finally compelling the then UP government to bring into affect the Forest Act.
Hundreds of people concerned to protect the environment are thronging to Bharav Ghati from Delhi , Dehradun, different parts of Uttarakhand and other states in order to save these trees from being axed in the near future.
There are also reports that a petition has also been filed in the apex court in this regard.
