No central nod for Girnar ropeway?

The Girnar Ropeway project has run into troubled waters yet again. Despite the ministry of environment and forests’ go ahead, the Central Empowered Committee has refused to give its nod to the controversial project. The ropeway which proposes to connect the temple on top of Mount Girnar in Junagadh, with a ropeway for pilgrims is alleged that it will damage the roosting sites of about 69 vultures on the hill.

The vultures are a critically endangered bird and the CEC has decreed that the go-ahead for the project was given by then minister Jairam Ramesh despite the disagreement of several members of the National Board for Wildlife in India (NBWLI).

Principal chief secretary environment and forest SK Nanda, however, explains that the CEC has only expressed “concern” about the vultures. “SC has invited our views on the subject as to how we are going to conserve the ecology of the area while executing the project. We are hopeful that the SC will consider our argument,” he said.  After hanging fire for 15 years, Ramesh had given the green signal to the project just about a year ago with six pre-conditions. The ropeway is expected to transport pilgrims to the holy spots on top of Mount Girnar within minutes .