4 yrs on, Vikram Batra Van Vihar project hangs fire in Palampur

Ravinder Sood

Palampur, June 24

The construction of Vikram Batra Van Vihar has been hanging fire for the past four years despite the fact that the Government of India has already sanctioned Rs 4.10 crore to the state Forest Department, which has been made an executing agency of the project by the government. Despite best efforts of former Chief Minister Shanta Kumar, no headway was made for the execution of the project in four years.

Spread in 50 acres of Bindravan village on the outskirts of Palampur, the proposed Vikram Batra Van Vihar will be a nature park dedicated to Captain Vikram Batra. The proposed park will come up in the forest of Bindravan at a distance of 3 km from Palampur, a perfect place for recreation. Overlooking the mighty Dhauladhar ranges, the beauty of the nature park will be enhanced with different varieties of plants and trees. The park will give shelter to different species of birds, which will further add to its charm.

Information gathered by The Tribune revealed that the funds sanctioned by the Union Forest and Environment Minister Bhupendra Yadav in the year 2021 were lying unused in the bank account of Divisional Forest Officer (DFO), Palampur. In the past four years, not even a single brick was laid for the project. Despite repeated requests of former Chief Minister Shanta Kumar, neither Palampur Municipal Corporation nor the Palampur DFO responded to his letters.

Talking to The Tribune, Shanta Kumar said he was deeply shocked over the attitude of the state government. He regretted that the mother of Captain Batra, Kamal Kant Batra, kept on waiting for the execution of the project for three years, later she died.

He added that Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu had announced to make Kangra the tourism capital of the state, but projects like the nature park were hanging fire because of official bottlenecks. He said the Chief Minister should tone up the bureaucracy, which was bringing a bad name to Sukhu’s government.

At the age of 24, Captain Vikram Batra died during the Kargil War in 1999. He was given the highest wartime gallantry award, the Param Vir Chakra, posthumously.

Due to his exemplary feats, Captain Batra was awarded many titles. He was fondly called the ‘Tiger of Drass’, the ‘Lion of Kargil’, the ‘Kargil Hero’ and so on. His bravery, zeal, and determination had set a standard for everyone fighting the war. “Yeh dil mange more” was Batra’s war cry.

Funds lying unused

• Spread in 50 acres of Bindravan village, the proposed Van Vihar will be a nature park dedicated to Captain Vikram Batra
• The funds sanctioned by the Union Forest and Environment Minister Bhupendra Yadav in the year 2021 were lying unused in the bank account of Palampur DFO. In the past four years, not even a single brick was laid for the project

Join Whatsapp Channel of The Tribune for latest updates.

#Palampur