Huge dams a threat, warns Swaroopanand

Tribune News Service

Haridwar, May 19

Jagadguru Shankaracharya Swami Swaroopanand Saraswati, the religious head of twin peeths of Shri Badrikashram and Dwarka, opposed the construction of dams in the hilly region of Uttarakhand.

At his ashram in Kankhal, Swami Swaroopanand said owing to flashfloods in 2013 and the recent earthquake, it had been proved that huge dams like the Tehri, pose threat to humanity.

Demanding prohibition on the construction of new dams, Swami Swaroopanand said the Centre should take this matter seriously as apart from mass shifting of local people in the dam-affected region, these hydro projects were quite vulnerable in case of earthquakes or flashfloods.

He also said the Ganges, Yamuna, Alaknanda and Bhagirathi’s sanctity and purity was getting affected owing to a large number of hydropower projects being build on these rivers.

On the Shri Ram Janmabhoomi-Babri Masjid issue, he voiced for a peaceful solution. He also objected to Hindi films depicting Hindu religion and rituals in a bad taste, saying that a new Censor Board should be formed which should cater to Hindu sentiments and then only certify the films.

Suggesting for compulsory teaching of religious epics like the Geeta and Ramayana, Swami Swaroopanand said this would inculcate moral values and knowledge of our ancient literature among the youth.

He also demanded banning of cow slaughter in the country.