Dehradun: Padma Shri awardee Avdhash
Kaushal has decided to return the honour to the government to
protest against stalling work at two power projects in
Uttarakhand in the name of protecting environment.
Uttarakhand Government has stopped work on 480 watt
Maneri Bhali power project, situated on the banks of river
Ganga, and on 381 mega watt Bhaironghati power project after
environmentalist Dr Guru Das Agarwal sat on a fast unto death,
protesting against the two projects.
Demanding resumption of work at the two sites, Kaushal
today told reporters that he will return his Padma Shri ,
presented to him by the government in 1986 for his
contribution towards conserving environment, if work on the
two projects is not resumed immediately.
Kaushal said, if on the name of conserving environment
we wish to promote poverty and force poor people to live
without proper power supply, then such conservation activities
and awards are worthless.
The Padma Shri awardee said that he will take former
Uttarakhand Chief Minister B C Khanduri to Supreme Court to
seek compensation for the losses incurred by the state due to
stalling of the two projects.
Work on the two projects was stopped on the orders
from Khanduri, he said.
Bureau Report
