A campaign by the All-India Akhara Parishad, an apex body of sadhus and seers, to seek closure of hydropower projects on the Bhagirathi in Uttarkashi district of Uttarakhand has come cropper, giving a major relief to the state government.
This follows Chief Minister Ramesh Pokhriyal Nishank’s move to cancel his proposed visit to Haridwar yesterday apparently not to accept the demand of the Akhara Parishad, an influential body being supported by the Sangh Parivar.
“The visit of the CM to Haridwar was cancelled at the last moment,” said a state government official without giving any reason. However, sources said Nishank apparently took stand not to visit Haridwar because the state government did not want to close all the hydropower projects, as being demanded by the Akhara Parishad. “We are relieved that the campaign against the hydel projects has fizzled out,” said the official.
Nishank had earlier announced that he would hold talks with the Akhara Parishad which had asked the government to stop all the hydropower projects like the 600 Mw Lohari Nagpala, 480 Mw Pala Maneri, 381 Mw Bhaironghati, 304 Mw Maneri Bhali-II and 90 Mw Maneri Bhali-I. Except Maneri Bhali Phase-I and Phase-II, other three projects have already been suspended on religious and environmental grounds in 2008.
The sadhus and seers belonging to Akhara Prishad had threatened to begin an indefinite dharna at Har-Ki-Pauri from March 22 to press the demand for the closure of these projects. But later, they deferred the dharna till March 27 with a threat that either the government close down all the hydel projects on the Bhagirathi or they would leave the maha kumbh area without attending the two remaining royal baths of March 30 and April 14.
Meanwhile, differences in various camps of the Akhara Parishad came in open with its president Mahant Gyan Das admitting that seers were not united on the issue. “We will come out with separate plan shortly,” said Mahant Gyan Das.