Anurag: Stakeholders to be consulted on Pong Dam eco-sensitive zone issue

Hamirpur, December 28

The issue pertaining to declare the Pong Dam area an eco-sensitive zone by the Centre has been kept pending and would be resolved with the participation of stakeholders. This was stated by Union Minister for Information and Broadcasting Anurag Thakur while speaking to the media at Bhota here today.

Aimed at protecting flora, fauna

• n The Pong Dam area was proposed to be declared an eco-sensitive zone by the Centre to protect its flora and fauna
• n This will impose restrictions on people of the area like reduction in forest rights, movement in the eco-sensitive zone and evacuation from the zone

Mudra loans generated jobs

PM Narendra Modi had promised 10 lakh jobs and has provided 8.5 lakh jobs so far apart from 8 crore Mudra loans that generated millions of jobs. Anurag Thakur, union minister for info and broadcasting

Notably, the Pong Dam area was proposed to be declared an eco-sensitive zone by the Centre to protect its flora and fauna. This would impose number of restrictions on people of the area like reduction in forest rights, movement in the eco-sensitive zone, animal grazing and even evacuation from the zone.

Thakur said his request to reconsider the issue of Pong Dam eco-sensitive zone to Environment Minister Bhupendra Yadav was immediately addressed and the issue has been kept pending for the time being.

Talking about the state, the minister said the price hike in Himachal was due to the failures on the part of the state government. He said the state government has increased the prices of petrol and diesel twice since its inception, adding that the Congress government had assured two lakh jobs, but has failed to provide employment to the youth. Thakur said the cost of construction material, including stone, grit and sand, had increased manifold due to the closure of crushers in the state.

He said Prime Minister Narendra Modi had assured 10 lakh jobs and has provided 8.5 lakh jobs so far apart from 8 crore Mudra loans that generated millions of jobs for youth in the country.

Talking about the upcoming 2024 Lok Sabha elections, Thakur said the world is looking towards PM Modi with hopes. The minister added that the world’s growth is now connected with India’s growth. He said BJP’s victory in 2024 would be historical.

Many opposition leaders have been left with silent with the construction of Ram Mandir in Ayodhaya, he said, adding that the people who opposed the construction of the mandir should know that the temple is ready and the deity of Ram Lalla would soon be installed there.

Earlier, Thakur addressed several meetings of the BJP workers at Bhota, Sohari and Harsour in the Barsar constituency of the district.