A diverse coalition of environmentalists, scientific experts, social activists, and concerned citizens from states including Delhi, Bihar, and Uttar Pradesh converged in Harsil, near Uttarkashi, on Sunday. Their unified mission was to voice strong opposition against the extensive cutting of trees for road widening under the contentious Char Dham all-weather road project.
A Sacred Pledge to Protect the Himalayas
Organized under the banner of the 'Himalaya Hai to Hum Hai' yatra, the gathering witnessed an emotional ceremony. Participants offered prayers to the ancient Deodar trees marked for removal and tied sacred 'raksha sutra' threads around their trunks. This act symbolized a solemn vow to shield these natural sentinels. Protesters highlighted that over 6,000 trees, many several decades old, are slated to be felled for the road expansion in this ecologically fragile region.
Roots of the Protest: From Supreme Court Appeal to Public Action
The Sunday demonstration was not an isolated event but the culmination of growing concern. The yatra itself began on Saturday, following a significant appeal made in September. That appeal saw senior BJP leader Murli Manohar Joshi and veteran Congress leader Karan Singh, alongside over 50 civil society members, petition the Supreme Court. They requested a review of its 2021 order that permitted widening Himalayan roads beyond 5.5 meters for the Char Dham project.
Their warning was stark: proceeding without adequate safeguards could cause irreversible ecological damage in the Bhagirathi Eco-Sensitive Zone (BESZ). They specifically pointed to the recent Dharali disaster as a grim precursor. The appeal argued that a double-lane road, justified on defence grounds, "would wreak avoidable damage in this extremely fragile stretch." A public meeting in Delhi in November further galvanized support, setting the stage for the Harsil yatra.
A central point of contention raised at the gathering is the state forest department's in-principle clearance to use approximately 42 hectares of forest land for non-forestry purposes. This clearance is for widening a 20.6 km stretch inside the protected BESZ. Protesters cited the devastating flash flood that flattened Dharali village, located within 15 km of Harsil, as a dire warning of the consequences of unchecked development in the Himalayas.
Voices from the Ground: Conservation as a National Duty
Mallika Bhanot, a member of the BESZ monitoring committee, emphasized the collective spirit of the movement. "This yatra is a very inspiring effort put in by the citizens because it is a collective responsibility to protect the environment, our constitutional duty," she stated.
Addressing the gathering virtually from Delhi, Murli Manohar Joshi framed the issue as one of national security and interconnectedness. "Our yatra is not against national security; in fact, we believe that the nation can be safe only if the Himalayas are safe. Development, security, and conservation of the Himalayas are interconnected," he asserted. Joshi added that protecting the Himalayas is a responsibility for the entire nation, warning that "the dream of becoming Vishwa Guru will be destroyed if we fail to save them."
The yatra also saw participation from notable figures like RSS joint general secretary Krishna Gopal, social activist Geeta Gairola—who performed a self-composed song for the Himalayas and Ganga—and other civil society members including Suresh Bhai, Ayush Joshi, Gopal Arya, Puran Rawat, Hemant Dhyani, and Kalpana Thakur.
The Other Side: Local Demands for Connectivity
Meanwhile, a contrasting narrative emerged from some local villagers in Dharali. They held a counter-protest at the collectorate on Sunday, alleging that objections by environmental groups were stalling crucial connectivity work. They argued that the widening of the Gangotri highway between Uttarkashi and Bhaironghati is "vital for the Char Dham all-weather road project as well as for civilian and security movement in the border district." This highlights the complex debate between ecological preservation and developmental needs in the region.
