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Sammed Shikharji row: Amid protests, Centre stays all tourism activities
The decision came after union environment minister Bhupender Yadav met representatives of Jain community earlier in the day and assured that the Centre will ensure their concerns are addressed.
Amid widespread protests by Jain community members against the decision to develop Parasnath Hills in Jharkhand, home to their sacred site Sammed Shikhariji, as a tourist attraction, the union environment ministry has ordered a stay on all tourism activities in the area and directed the state government to strictly enforce an existing ban on sale of liquor, other intoxicants and non-vegetarian food in the Parasnath Wildlife Sanctuary, a statement issued by the ministry said on Thursday..
The decision came after union environment minister Bhupender Yadav met representatives of Jain community earlier in the day and assured that the Centre will ensure their concerns are addressed.
“Met Jain community members who have been urging to protect the sanctity of Sammed Shikhar. Assured them that PM Shri @narendramodi ji’s government is committed to preserving and protecting the rights of Jain community over all their religious sites, including Sammed Shikhar,” Yadav tweeted on Thursday.
“Sammed Shikhar falls in the eco-sensitive zone of Parasnath Wildlife Sanctuary and Topchanchi Wildlife Sanctuary. There is a list of prohibited activities that can’t take place in and around the designated eco-sensitive area. Restrictions will be followed in letter and spirit,” he said.
A notification by union forest and environment ministry on August 2, 2019, had declared an area of up to 25 kilometres around the boundary of Parasnath and Topchanchi Wildlife Sanctuaries in Giridih and Dhanbad districts as eco-sensitive zone and allowed eco-tourism in the area, following a recommendation by the state government.
“The implementation of provisions of clause 3 of the said notification, which relate to tourism and eco-tourism, is stayed forthwith. The state government is directed to immediately take all steps necessary to ensure the same,” the statement said.
In addition, for effective monitoring of the provisions of the ESZ notification, the Centre on Thursday also constituted a monitoring committee. “The state government is directed to have two members from the Jain community and one member from the local tribal community as permanent invitees to this monitoring committee, enabling appropriate involvement and oversight by important stakeholders,” the statement said.
“State government of Jharkhand is directed to strictly enforce the relevant provisions of management plan of the Parasnath Wildlife Sanctuary that specifically prohibit damage to flora or fauna, coming with pet animals, playing loud music or use loudspeakers, defiling sites or religious and cultural significance such as sacred monuments, lakes, rocks, caves, and shrines; sale of liquor, drugs, and other intoxicants etc; unauthorised camping and trekking etc on the Parasnath Hill. The state government has also been directed to strictly enforce the ban on the sale and consumption of liquor and non-vegetarian food items on Parasnath Hill,” the statement said.
The decision came on a day Jharkhand chief minister Hemant Soren wrote to union forest and environment minister Bhupendra Yadav for “adequate decision” on the matter.
In his letter, which has been circulated by the state government, CM Soren underlined that his government is taking measures under in its purview to maintain the sanctity of Sammed Shikhariji and said there was a need to review the notification in light of the representations by the Jain community members, seeking withdrawal of the notification.
“....The para 2.3 (vi) and 3(3) of the notification mentions about tourism and eco tourism, which have been objected to by the Jain community members. The state government is taking all measures under its purview to maintain the sanctity of the place, but as far as taking a decision on the Centre’s notification is concerned, only the union ministry of forest and environment is empowered to do so. Hence, in light of the sentiments of the Jain community, I request to take adequate decision on the notification,” he said.
Earlier, on December 23, Chandra Prakash Goyal, the director general and special secretary, union ministry of forest, environment and climate change, had written to Jharkhand chief secretary Sukhdev Singh, suggesting the state take a “re-look” and send fresh recommendations for further action vis-a-vis the ESZ notification of Parasnath Sanctuary.
The genesis of the controversy lies in a gazette notification of the state government’s tourism department on February 22, 2019, by the then BJP government led by Raghubir Das, declaring Parasnath in Giridih as one of the tourist places in the state. Besides Parasnath, dozens of other places of religious, historical and natural importance across the state, were also declared as tourist spots.
Later, on August 2, 219, acting on the recommendations of Raghubar Das government, Centre notified the area around Parasnath Sanctuary as an ESZ, which allows conditional development work and eco-tourism in the area.
On July 24, 2022, CM Soren unveiled the state’s tourism policy which underlined developing Parasnath as a religious tourist centre, along with other religious places, including Baba Baidyanath Temple in Deoghar and Rajrappa Temple in Ramgarh district.
On the steps being taken by the state government to resolve the crisis, the chief minister, in his letter, said the department concerned and the district administration is taking several measures, including increased police patrolling in the area, to maintain sanctity of the place.
