Char Dham panel chief Ravi Chopra resigns from his position

14 Feb 2022 CW Team

Ravi Chopra, a veteran environmentalist, resigned from the position of chairman of the High Powered Committee (HPC) of the Supreme Court on the Char Dham project. He states that his belief that HPC would protect the fragile Himalayan ecology is shattered.

In his letter of resignation to the Supreme Court’s secretary-general on January 27, he referred to the December 2021 order of the apex court that had accepted the wider road configuration to meet the defense requirements, instead of the recommendation from HPC. In September 2020 it was accepted by the Supreme Court in its earlier order.

Chopra added that the judgment also confined HPC’s role only to oversee the two Non-Defence roads. In the past, HPC‘s directions and recommendations have been ignored or tardily responded to by the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways (MoRTH).

The experience fails to inspire confidence that responses of the ministry will be any different even in terms of the two Non-Defence roads.

The Honorable Court also gave permission for seeking legal relief for the widening of the highways. In these circumstances, Chopra does not see any purpose to continue to head the committee or indeed, furthermore to be a part of it.

The letter also mentioned that Chopra was compelled by an inner voice to help in restoring the Himalayan environment and livelihoods to accept the position in September 2019, despite his age. And now the same inner voice is compelling him to move out.

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