Uttarkashi flash floods: Disaster was man-made, warnings ignored, say locals
Himalayayi Nagrik Drishti Manch, a people's collective from the district, submitted a memorandum on Monday to the BESZ monitoring committee, the Union ministry of forests, and the Union ministry of Jal Shakti, citing persistent violations of the BESZ notification, which specifies activities prohibited, restricted, or permitted within the zone which spans 4,179 sq km and covers a 100-km stretch of the Bhagirathi river from Gaumukh to Uttarkashi.
"In the recent past, we informed you from time to time to take action against various disaster-causing construction works in the valley, ravines, flood plain of the Bhagirathi, and sensitive hill slopes. Due to inaction by the local administration, we also requested that the monitoring committee visit the valley and issue necessary instructions on the spot. But our concerns and disaster warnings were repeatedly ignored," said Pushpa Chauhan, a social worker and former head of a panchayat near Gangotri, in the memorandum.
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The collective stressed the need for a "disaster-resilient sustainable approach" to development in the BESZ, the epicentre of the Dharali floods, and reminded authorities of the ban on construction in river areas. "The 'Zonal Master Plan' (ZMP) approved by the govt of India in July 2020 declares that construction is restricted up to 100m from the middle of the river," the memorandum stated.
Residents said tourism-centric activities have continued in the environmentally ssensitive area, causing unabated anthropogenic pressure.
Uttarkashi district magistrate Prashant Arya, however, denied the allegations of inaction.
"We regulate things according to the guidelines mentioned in the ESZ notification. There is a district-level committee which specifically looks into cases pertaining to it. Whatever case comes to us, we regulate it completely based on law and regulations," said Arya.
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