HC summons Tourism secretary in PIL on unregulated tourism in Doon & nearby cities
Wednesday, 14 June 2023 | PNS | NAINITAL
The Uttarakhand High Court has asked why the State government failed to prepare a tourism development plan under the Doon Valley notification and send it to the Central Government for approval. The division bench of chief justice Vipin Sanghi and justice Rakesh Thapliyal said this while hearing on a public interest litigation on uncontrolled tourism activities in Dehradun, Mussoorie, Rishikesh, Haridwar and other neighbouring areas. The High Court has summoned the Tourism secretary and set the case for hearing next after three weeks.
According to case details, Akash Vashishth has filed the public interest litigation stating that under the Doon Valley notification there is provision for prohibition on mining and various categories of industries are prohibited in the area. An uncontrolled number of tourists are visiting the area on a daily basis. The petitioner has questioned if the government has any data on the number of hotels and other relevant aspects.
It is pertinent to mention here that the many of the major infrastructural projects being planned by the State government for Dehradun are nearby cities are focused mainly on tourists. Plans like elevated roads on the Rispana and Bindal rivers, the Delhi-Dehradun expressway, new ring roads and widening of roads and highways on the outskirts are all aimed at increasing tourist movement while catering to their convenience. These projects will also be used by the locals but many in Dehradun are already apprehensive of such projects considering that the authorities are failing to handle the existing load of tourists. Traffic jams and other civic issues have become common in Mussoorie, Rishikesh and Haridwar too mainly due to the increased tourist footfall. Those in businesses connected to tourism are doing brisk business but local residents are facing the detrimental consequences of unregulated tourist movement.
