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Hindustan Times
28-05-2025
- Politics
- Hindustan Times
Himachal govt puts on hold entry fee at Churdhar wildlife sanctuary
The forest department of Himachal Pradesh on Tuesday put on hold its order imposing user charge on visitors to the Churdhar Wildlife Sanctuary in Sirmaur district, officials said. A controversy had erupted earlier this month, with locals alleging that the 'user charge' was imposed by the state government on people going to the Churdhar valley where there is an ancient temple. The Opposition Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) had termed it as a 'fee on religious pilgrimage'. Officials had maintained that the user charge was imposed only on trekkers visiting the Churdhar wildlife sanctuary. People going to the Shirgul Maharaj temple has to pass through some portions of the sanctuary. In an order issued on Tuesday, deputy conservator of forests, Shimla Wildlife Division said, 'It has been decided to keep in abeyance the order regarding collection of charges in view of numerous representations received from various stakeholders including religious organisations, local residents and citizens in this regard.' The officer said the decision to impose the user charges was taken to address environmental and sanitation concerns but it has come to light that the order has raised apprehensions among devotees and local people regarding accessibility to Churdhar temple, a significant religious site located in the sanctuary. Therefore, the order shall remain suspended till a comprehensive model is developed that considers exemptions for religious pilgrims and establishes a fair and transparent charging mechanism for other users, the officer said. Earlier, the Hatti Samiti, the principal organisation of more than three lakh Hattis living in Trans Giri area of Sirmaur had opposed the entry fee from devotees coming from other states to visit the ancient temple of Lord Shrigul Devta situated on the top of Churdhar peak. In a letter addressed to chief minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu, the Samiti had demanded that entry fees should not be taken from the devotees. According to the fixed slabs, Himachal residents had to pay ₹20 per person, non-Himachalis ₹50 and foreigners will be charged ₹200. The officials said trekkers, hikers and campers had to pay ₹50 to ₹100. The charges were set at ₹10,000 to ₹15,000 per day for movie and documentary shoots, ₹3,000 per day for wedding shoots, ₹200, ₹300 and ₹400 for tenting (Indian citizens), ₹500 per tent per day for foreign citizens and ₹100 for travelling by mule and horse.
The Print
02-05-2025
- Politics
- The Print
Himachal govt charging fee from Churdhar devotees, allege locals; BJP calls it jizya
The locals say the tax has been being charged for the past few days and opposed the move stating that people go to Churdhar for paying obeisance at the Shirgul Maharaj temple. Officials, however, maintained that the user charge is imposed only on trekkers visiting the Churdhar wildlife sanctuary. People going to the Shirgul Maharaj temple has to pass through some portions of the sanctuary. Nahan/Shimla, May 2 (PTI) A controversy has erupted in Himachal Pradesh with locals alleging that a 'user charge' has been imposed by the state government on people going to the Churdhar valley in Sirmaur district where there is an ancient temple, and the opposition BJP terming it as a 'fee on religious pilgrimage' and 'jizya tax'. 'The temple is a pilgrimage site and not a tourism place for us,' one of them said. The locals are claiming that a tax ranging between Rs 20 and Rs 1000 is being collected by the wildlife department from April 20 from people going to the Churdhar valley. Two meetings were held between the officials of wildlife department and residents of Nohradhar to reach a consensus as the locals are opposed to the move, said social activist Suresh Kumar Pundir. 'It is for the first time that a pilgrimage site has been taxed and we would go door to door against the decision of the government if it is not rolled back,' he added. Blaming the Congress-led government for charging a fee from the devotees who visit Churdhar for paying obeisance at the Shirgul Maharaj temple, former chief minister Jai Ram Takur alleged the state has imposed a fee on religious pilgrimage by Hindus. He also equated it with Muslim ruler Aurangzeb's imposition of jizya tax on the majority community. The Churdhar peak in Sirmaur district is one of the highest peaks of Shivalik ranges located at a height of 11,965 feet. PTI BPL COR ZMN This report is auto-generated from PTI news service. ThePrint holds no responsibility for its content.
