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Doon Valley doomed? It's an urban jungle out there
Published on Mon, Dec 03, 2007 at 00:21, Updated on Tue, Dec 04, 2007 at 13:34 in section
Tags: Environment, Dehradun , Dehradun
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Dehradun: The Doon Valley is an ecologically sensitive area, and on paper, it's recognised as such. But the town of Dehradun is being threatened by haphazard development and uncontrolled property boom.
The city of Dehradun lies in an ecologically sensitive zone and the land mafia is slowly taking over the Sal forests, orchards, rivers and streams of the valley.
Ex-IAF officer Air Marshal BD Jayal has been fighting with his neighbours who are bent on constructing a school academy right on a lush green forest on the riverbed.
“In my neighbourhood, I have school called G R D Academy. And they have started construction and it is adjoining the river. When we asked M D D A who the approving authority was, they gave me a letter that plan is not approved,” Jayal says.
Another resident Bunty Chopra has a cricket stadium coming up in the quiet forests right behind his house.
Chopra – who is also a member of Citizen Action Group - has even lodged a complaint with the Supreme Court Monitoring Committee but with no results.
“First they need permissions from urban housing. Then they need permissions from MOEF,” he says.
The owner of this state-of-the-art cricket stadium, Mr Eeswaran, says he has all the permissions. “I have permissions from forest department to cut the trees,” he says.
So who is responsible for this rampant destruction? “If you are building for residential purposes then I cannot deny you permissions,” says Vice Chairman, MDDA, Subroto Biswas.
While the government has turned a blind eye, the citizens of Dehradun are fighting back.
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Not only this,but SEZs and Real estates in fertile lands,will reduce food prodcution,which may force us to depend on the
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This is not a new news...this has been going on ever since the state was formed...dehradun as an idylic city
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Oh my god! I am devastated by this news. I studied in Mussoorie, and Dehra Dun was a big part
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This is a great report. With reports such as these and also showing the traffic problem of india CNNIBN is
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