Four Himachal Villages Implement Construction Regulations Near UNESCO Heritage Site

Shimla, Feb 28 (NationPress) In a groundbreaking move, four gram panchayats situated in the biodiversity-rich Tirthan Valley, adjacent to the UNESCO World Heritage site Great Himalayan National Park in Kullu district, have developed and officially adopted a vision document under the Himachal Panchayati Raj Act to manage unprecedented tourism growth in the area.

The new regulations will come into effect on April 1, as confirmed by officials to IANS on Friday.

All construction activities in the Tirthan Valley that fall outside the jurisdiction of the Town and Country Planning (TCP) Act will now be overseen by the gram panchayats, which will be responsible for approving building maps and controlling chaotic construction.

The gram panchayats involved—Sarchi, Kalwari, Khadagad, and Sajwaad—are part of the Banjar block.

The Panchayat Samiti has ratified a unified model plan along with the vision document from Sarchi’s gram panchayats.

The Tirthan Valley is renowned for its pristine rivers, the Tirthan and Sainj, which are famous for abundant populations of brown and rainbow trout.

Rajendra Chauhan, director of Sahara Sanstha, noted that in 2021, 12 panchayats from Jibhi and Tirthan had previously passed a resolution at the gram sabha level and established a vision document, which was shared with relevant officials, including the Chief Secretary.

The vision document emphasizes the gram sabha's aim to steer tourism development towards a sustainable and culturally sensitive approach, in stark contrast to tourism models adopted in other valleys.

“This latest initiative aims to safeguard the sacred Tirthan River from pollution and preserve the traditional sanctity of other Dev sites within the Dev Samaj, which is currently experiencing uncontrolled tourism growth,” Chauhan explained to IANS.

Learning from the chaotic construction in various state valleys and the 2023 disaster, certain gram panchayats are now pursuing building regulations under Sections 14 and 13(h) of the Panchayati Raj Act of 1994.

The model plan for construction regulation was unanimously endorsed by the Panchayat Samiti Chairman last month, complying with the Himachal Pradesh High Court orders dated January 13, 2023, in the case of Kusum Bali vs. Government of Himachal Pradesh. The court mandated all panchayats to prepare a model plan under the Panchayati Raj Act, highlighting concerns about reckless construction in the state.

Local residents have expressed their concerns regarding the rapid, disorganized commercial construction along the banks of the Tirthan River. They are particularly worried about illegal water resource diversions, solid waste dumping along riverbanks, and ongoing construction activities within the riverbed by tourism entities.

Currently, there are protests in the Tirthan area against a building project underway in Shairopa.

Former Sharchi pradhan Hari Singh Thakur stated, “This area, located within the ecozone of the Great Himalayan National Park, is both geographically and ecologically sensitive. Irregular construction poses unnecessary risks that could jeopardize tourism in the long run.”

Padam Singh, senior chief advisor of the Shojha Tourism Development Committee, remarked, “This is the first instance in the state where panchayats have come together to implement a model plan addressing reckless construction. The valley’s residents also suspect the TCP Department of undermining the powers of the panchayat.”

In 2004, the government imposed a complete ban on the allocation of hydro projects in the Tirthan River to promote the natural propagation of exotic trout fish.

(Vishal Gulati can be contacted at vishal.g@ians.in)