(News) Ecological Threat to Chitrakoot

Ecological time bomb ticking in Chitrakoot

The holy city Chitrakoot in Madhya Pradesh's Satna district is sitting on an ecological time bomb.

The Mandakini River which through Chitrakoot has been encroached upon and three private bridges have been built on it, turning it pristine banks into rubble and interrupting the natural flow.

One of the bridges is the exclusive property of a RSS-affiliated institution, Deen Dayal Shodh Sansthan. The second bridge over the Mandakini has been built by a BJP leader Arun Mishra and a retired cop, Bhanuprasad Singh. The third structure is owned by a self-styled spiritual guru.

The first bridge is partially open to pilgrims but the other two are for personal use, said RTI activist Nityanand Mishra, who is leading the fight against the environmental pillage. He has moved the green tribunal and demanded removal of encroachments.

The state tourism department has also played a role in the environmental degradation. The department has erected miniature dams in the middle of the river and diverted the water flow. Concrete sheds and cottages have also come up near the Sfatik Shila, which carries the footprints of Sita — a homage site of lakhs of pilgrims in the Mandakini catchment area.

"The river has narrowed down at several points is overflowing with slush and sewage," Mishra said.

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Courtesy : The Times of India