Dainik Nation News Portal
DAINIK NATION BUREAU
Rejecting the environmentalists criticism that the Centre’s much-hyped all –weather road linking the four revered shrines and the Rishikesh-Karanaprayag rail project would destroy ecology, state forest, and Environment Minister Harak Singh Rawat categorically said that ecological concerns cannot gain precedence over the security of the nation.
As we know that China has taken its roads and rails at the threshold of our frontiers we have been left with no other option but to suitably revamp our transport infrastructure. In the name of ecology, we cannot ignore our threat perception. Good and wide roads which are able to withstand adverse weather are required to enable the defence vehicles to move around the state to adequately face any eventuality from across the border. The same applies to the railway project the Centre has taken up,” he said.
He, however, made it clear that neither the Centre nor the state government is ignoring their likely impact on the ecology of the hilly state. We have decided to plant a new tree against every tree to be felled for the execution of the projects. he said after inaugurating the three days long Rajpur Nature Festival-2017 on Saturday.
Commenting on the Congress’s reservation regarding the state government’s decision to hold the winter session of the Assembly at Gairsain in Chamoli district, Dr Rawat said that he is personally in favour of Gairsain to be declared as the summer capital of the state while Dehradun should be allowed to remain the capital. Ironically the leader of the Opposition Indira Hridayesh demanded the state government to take a clear stance on the permanent state capital without going for the summer/winter rhetoric.
Questioning on Trivendra Singh Rawat led uttrakhand government’s performance of last six month, Dr Rawat said that one should keep patience instead of jumping to conclusion. Six month is too short for a government to show anything noticeable. One thing is clear that we are moving in the right direction.
