9 villages to move SC against Rohtang ropeway project

MC Thakur

MANALI, NOVEMBER 22

Nine villages of upper Manali have decided to move Supreme Court against the Rohtang ropeway project. The villagers had called an emergency meeting at Kothi village after their lawyer informed them that National Green Tribunal (NGT) has ordered to complete the ropeway project as soon as possible.

The villagers are being supported by taxi operators and several associations and unions formed by tourism activity operators. They discussed in details the pros and cons of the project. They observed that the project would destroy all options of their livelihood and also harm the environment. They concluded that they have no other choice but to move SC to oppose the project.

Roshan Thakur, president of Nine Villages Committee, said they are not against the development but development should not be at the cost of livelihood and environment. He said locals had expressed their problems before the NGT but their all issues have been ignored. He said government had promised rehabilitation plan but now nobody talks about it. 

He further added that the people in the locality have the only right i.e. not to issue NOC if they do not like the project.

The villagers complained that despite that they did not issue the NOC to the project, none of its representatives came to discuss the issue with them. They said that nobody was watching its negative consequences in the long run. After discussion various issues, those present in the meeting said they would challenge the project before SC.

Taxi operators also attended the meeting. Him-Aanchal Taxi Operators Union president Raj Kumar Dogra said this project would affect the livelihood of hundreds of operators. He added that the union would support the villagers in opposing the project before the SC.

The Rohtang project is proposed to build between Kothi and Rohtang Pass. Having the length of about 9 km, the project will have three stages – Kothi to Gulaba, Gulaba to Marhi and Marhi to Rohtang.