Netala bypass in Bhagirathi eco-sensitive zone .

The contentious Netala bypass in the Bhagirathi Eco-Sensitive Zone (BESZ) of Uttarakhand was recently approved by the state forest department despite earlier strong opposition from environmental experts, local residents, and the Supreme Court-appointed High Powered Committee (HPC).

Background

• The Netala bypass is part of the Char Dham highway widening project on the Uttarkashi-Gangotri route, aimed at improving connectivity to important pilgrimage sites.

• The bypass involves diversion of 17.5 hectares of forest land within the BESZ, requiring felling of nearly 2,750 trees in an ecologically fragile region known for its critical role in protecting the Ganga river’s watershed.

• BESZ is a 4,157 sq km protected area notified in 2012 to safeguard the ecology of the upper Bhagirathi river basin near the Ganga’s origin.

Opposition and Concerns

• The HPC and BESZ Monitoring Committee had earlier rejected the bypass proposal due to risks of increased landslides, soil erosion, and ecological destabilization.

• Local communities and environmentalists have protested, warning the forest clearing and road construction will exacerbate disaster vulnerability, especially following recent flash floods upstream in early August 2025.

• Concerns also include threats to local livelihoods, potential tunnel collapses, and violation of Supreme Court guidelines on environmentally sensitive infrastructure projects.

Recent Approval Details

• The state government used an exemption clause under the Forest Conservation Act, 1980, which allows ‘strategic linear projects of national importance’ to receive state-level clearance without central government scrutiny.

• Approval was granted to the Border Roads Organisation (BRO) at the state level, with conditions on compensatory afforestation and settlement of forest rights.

• The approval came despite warnings that it contravenes HPC recommendations and increases disaster risks in an already fragile zone.

Current Situation

• Roads in the region remain blocked in places due to landslides from recent heavy rains.

• Local groups demand the cancellation of the bypass approval and halting of work on the Char Dham project within the BESZ to prevent further environmental damage.

• Environmentalists call for a comprehensive Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) and strict adherence to HPC and Supreme Court guidelines.

UPSC Relevance

• This issue is significant for topics in environment and ecology (GS Paper 3), focusing on eco-sensitive zones, sustainable development, disaster management, and forest conservation laws.

• It also relates to governance and environmental policies, judicial interventions, and infrastructure development conflicts within ecologically critical areas.

This summary highlights the delicate balance between infrastructure development and environmental conservation in a sensitive Himalayan ecosystem, reflecting ongoing challenges for sustainable policymaking in India