JAIPUR: Amid allegations of illegality in the construction of Chambal riverfront in Kota, chief minister Ashok Gehlot pulled back from inaugurating the ambitious project at the last minute on Tuesday and assembly speaker CP Joshi filled in for him.
A proposed cabinet meeting in Kota on Wednesday was also cancelled. However, the CM will be in the city on Wednesday for the inauguration of a park, said sources in the CMO.
A day before the inauguration, BJP’s former Kota North MLA Prahlad Gunjal alleged that the construction had taken place within the National Chambal Gharial Sanctuary and without the requisite environmental and wildlife clearances.
Citing Supreme Court directions and the guidelines of the ministry of environment, forest and climate change (MoEFCC), Gunjal said that construction work of any kind could not be done within a radius of 10-km of the sanctuary area without the permission of the committee constituted by the Supreme Court.
The Chambal riverfront has been constructed on the lines of the Sabarmati riverfront in Ahmedabad at a cost of Rs 1,400 crore.
Gehlot, in a tweet, expressed disappointment at his inability to inaugurate the riverfront “due to unavoidable circumstances”.
Crediting his UDH minister Shanti Dhariwal for giving “a historic gift to Hadouti in the form of Kota riverfront”, the CM said: “Hadouti region is lagging behind in the field of tourism, but this riverfront will prove to be a milestone in increasing tourism here and will write a new story for the development of Kota.”
Gunjal, however, released a letter sent by MoEFCC to Rajasthan’s chief wildlife warden in July. The letter, written by the joint director, wildlife, said, “The project activities are taking place without any clearance under the Environment Protection Act, 1986, and also without any clearance of the standing committee of the National Board for Wildlife.”
A proposed cabinet meeting in Kota on Wednesday was also cancelled. However, the CM will be in the city on Wednesday for the inauguration of a park, said sources in the CMO.
A day before the inauguration, BJP’s former Kota North MLA Prahlad Gunjal alleged that the construction had taken place within the National Chambal Gharial Sanctuary and without the requisite environmental and wildlife clearances.
Citing Supreme Court directions and the guidelines of the ministry of environment, forest and climate change (MoEFCC), Gunjal said that construction work of any kind could not be done within a radius of 10-km of the sanctuary area without the permission of the committee constituted by the Supreme Court.
The Chambal riverfront has been constructed on the lines of the Sabarmati riverfront in Ahmedabad at a cost of Rs 1,400 crore.
Gehlot, in a tweet, expressed disappointment at his inability to inaugurate the riverfront “due to unavoidable circumstances”.
Crediting his UDH minister Shanti Dhariwal for giving “a historic gift to Hadouti in the form of Kota riverfront”, the CM said: “Hadouti region is lagging behind in the field of tourism, but this riverfront will prove to be a milestone in increasing tourism here and will write a new story for the development of Kota.”
Gunjal, however, released a letter sent by MoEFCC to Rajasthan’s chief wildlife warden in July. The letter, written by the joint director, wildlife, said, “The project activities are taking place without any clearance under the Environment Protection Act, 1986, and also without any clearance of the standing committee of the National Board for Wildlife.”
