Govt suspends work on Loharinag Pala dam

Noted environmentalist G D Agrawal on Friday called off his fast-unto-death after the government decided to suspend work on the 600 MW Loharinag Pala dam on Ganges in Uttarkhand.

Noted environmentalist G D Agrawal on Friday called off his fast-unto-death after the government decided to suspend work on the 600 MW Loharinag Pala dam on Ganges in Uttarkhand.

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He had been on a hunger strike since January 14 protesting against the construction of the hydro electric project and demanding that the river be allowed to flow in its natural form between Gangotri and Uttarkashi in the Himalayan region.

Accepting the letter from Power ministry which conveyed the government’s decision to stop the construction of the said project, the 77-year-old scientist called the decision “as a victory for Ganga.”

“For all of us, Ganga is a symbol of India’s faith and culture. And, the construction work on the Loharinag-Pala was destroying the natural flow of the holy river to a great extent.

“I am thankful to the government for taking this into cognizance and stopping the project immediately. I am sure this would restore the lost glory of our Ganga and its pristine form,” Agarwal told reporters after breaking his fast here.

Krishen K Dhar, President, IITians for Holy Ganga forum added, “It is the victory of the people who have pledged support to the cause.”