Environmentalist GD Agrawal faces protests by locals

Noted environmentalist G D Agrawal aka Swami Gyan Swaroop Sanand had to face protest of locals, who are supporting 444 MW Pipalkoti-Vishnugad project in Chamoli district today.
Sanand, who arrived at Pipalkoti with his associates to advocate closure of the project being built on Alaknanda, one of the major tributaries of the Ganga, was shown black flags by some locals who asked to them leave.
The 80-year-old environmentalist, who is opposing hydel projects on the Ganga in Uttarakhand, was on his way to Badrinath temple and had decided to make a brief halt at Pipalkoti to register his protest against the project.

However, some locals showed them black flags, said P Renuka Devi, Superintendent of Police Chamoli.
"The situation in the area is calm with enough police personnel deployed to maintain order," the SP said.
Sanand was greeted with same protest yesterday as he was accompanied by senior BJP leaders Uma Bharti and Ramesh Pokhriyal Nishnak.
They were shown black flags by locals at Shrinagar Garhwal where they had gone to protest against the relocation of the Dhari Devi temple which is under risk of being submerged by the 330MW Alaknanda hydel project.