CM Dhami Meets Union Environment Minister Bhupendra Yadav; Seeks Support for Hydropower and Sports University Projects in Uttarakhand.
New Delhi: Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami met Union Minister for Environment, Forest, and Climate Change, Bhupendra Yadav, in New Delhi on Wednesday. During the meeting, the Chief Minister sought the Union Government’s cooperation for the approval and development of seven hydropower projects in Uttarakhand, with a total capacity of 647 megawatts.
Chief Minister Dhami emphasized that the state government is fully committed to maintaining the purity, uninterrupted flow, and ecological balance of the Ganga and its tributaries, while ensuring that development projects adhere to environmental norms.
Highlighting the government’s focus on youth and sports development, the Chief Minister informed the Union Minister about the decision to establish a Sports University in Haldwani. He said the institution will create new avenues for employment and skill development in the sports sector.
To facilitate the establishment of the university, a proposal to transfer approximately 12.317 hectares of forest land in the Gaulapar area has been sent to the Forest Department. The Chief Minister requested Minister Yadav to issue necessary directions to expedite the approval process for this land transfer.
Union Minister Bhupendra Yadav extended his in-principle approval for the proposals and assured all possible cooperation from the Central Government to support Uttarakhand’s initiatives in both environmental protection and development.
The meeting was also attended by Tanmay Kumar, Secretary, Ministry of Environment, Forest, and Climate Change (Government of India); R. Meenakshi Sundaram, Principal Secretary to the Chief Minister; Dr. Parag Madhukar Dhakate, Special Secretary, and Ajay Mishra, Local Commissioner, Government of Uttarakhand.
