DEHRADUN: In order to facilitate the smooth and efficient growth of tourism in Uttarakhand, the state is set to accelerate the approval process for ropeway projects. The Uttarakhand Pollution Control Board (UPCB) has established a committee to provide environmental clearance to industries not covered by specific categories.
"After the recent Global Investors Summit in Dehradun, the Uttarakhand government has approved vital projects. In order to avoid bureaucratic obstacles, preparations have been made in advance," said State Finance Minister Prem Chand Agarwal, adding that, "the government recognizes that projects frequently face long delays due to environmental clearances. To prevent this from occurring in the future, a clear path has been laid out."
As a result of the government's new policy, projects such as ropeway systems, hotels, guesthouses and similar enterprises can expect speedy approval.
Member Secretary of Uttarakhand Pollution Control Board S K Patnaik said, "Due to different geographical conditions of Uttarakhand, many such projects are being run here, which are not available in other states, the ropeway project is also one of them".
"Therefore, the category of these projects and such industries has not been determined in the past. A committee has been constituted to determine the category of ropeway projects and other types of industries to be set up in Uttarakhand and further action can be taken soon", Patnaik added.
As per official sources within the department, Chief Environment Officer Chandan Singh has been appointed as the chairman of the committee. Additionally, the committee comprises environmental engineers PK Joshi and Dr. Ankur Kansal, as well as scientific officer Dr. Rajendra Singh and assistant environmental engineer Subhash Chandra Panwar, who have been appointed as members.
According to sources, at the recently concluded Global Investor Summit, several investors expressed interest in investing in the wellness and healthcare sectors in mountainous regions. With this in mind, the state government is keen to enhance connectivity in these areas, aiming to improve accessibility for potential investments.
