News: “Save Thano” The new Chipko movement of Uttarakhand

By Legal Wires 2 Minutes Read

Hundreds of people gathered outside the Jolly Grant airport on 18, Oct, 2020 to protest against the Uttarakhand government’s decision to seek the National Wildlife Board’s approval for transfer of 243 acres of forest land to the Airport Authority of India (AAI) for the expansion of the airport.

The reason stated by the government is the strategic importance due to its proximity to Line of Actual Control (LAC) as Uttarakhand shares border with China. However, Uttarakhand already has airstrips at Gauchar and Pithoragarh, close to the LAC.

As the area of the proposed airport expansion lies within a 10km radius of the Rajaji National Park Eco- Sensitive Zone, so it is believed that this would affect the wildlife and biodiversity in the area as around 10000 trees would be cut down for the project in the Thano range. However, it has been assured by the Jollygrant airport Director, D. K. Gautam that there would be plantation at some other place.

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