Copters not adhering to NGT rules in Kedarnath

DEHRADUN: Helicopter service providers in and around Kedarnath shrine have been violating norms flying below prescribed altitude despite National Green Tribunal directions.

“By randomly analysing data of altimeter as well as data received from monitoring stations, it is clear that most of the times, helicopter companies have flouted rules and are not adhering to the parameters suggested by the Wildlife Institute of India report,” a report by divisional forest officer of Kedarnath to the chief wildlife warden says.

According to the report, there were at least 74 instances of violations were found in year 2018 alone with a chopper reported to be flying as low as 270 meters above the sanctuary.

The report was prepared using data by random sampling of the elevation at which these choppers were flying was conducted both through altimeter reading and monitoring stations that were set up in the Kedar valley.

Conservationists said that this has been adversely affecting sensitive high-altitude Himalayan flora and fauna in Kedaranath Wildlife Sanctuary such as species of musk deer, blue sheep, leopards.