The Uttarakhand State Government has announced the withdrawal of the Char Dham Devasthanam Management Act.
This decision will dismiss the management board of directors of Chardam Devastanam, Uttarakhand, in the face of protests from four shrines and priests and other stakeholders from Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP).
Environmental issues related to the project:
The project can destroy approximately 690 acres of forest with 55,000 trees and evacuate an estimated 20 million cubic meters of soil. Inadvertent logging or uprooting of vegetation when upgrading roads can prove dangerous to biodiversity and the local ecosystem.
What is the Chardham Project?
This project includes the expansion and improvement of the 889 km national highway. This project will connect some of the routes to Badrinato Dam, Kedarnath Dam, Gangotri, Yamunotri, and Kailash Mansarovar Yatra.
National Security Role:
This project can serve as a strategic access road between the Army camps of Dehradun and Meerut, where missile bases and heavy machinery are located, and the border between India and China.
Court's view on the project:
The Supreme Court (SC) announced in November 2020 national security concerns and the environment in connection with the Army's request to upgrade the roads of the Chardham Project (CDP).
