Uttarakhand

• 17 Nov 2022

Abbott Mount Area to be Developed as Bird Watching Trail

Why In News?

On November 16, 2022, Tourism Development Officer of Champawat district Arvind Gaur said that the area will be developed as a bird watching trail for the expansion of tourism activities in the Abbott Mount area of the district. A detailed project report has been prepared by the Tourism Development Department and sent to the government for approval.

Key Points

• Arvind Gaur said that after issuing instructions from the Tourism Secretary for bird watching trail in the past, the department has sent the DPR to the government through the working organization Drinking Water Construction Corporation, which is expected to be approved soon.
• For the proposed bird watching trail at Abbott Mount, the land of the Tourism Department will be demarcated as well as a boundary wall will be constructed for security. The tourism department has also sent a proposal for the construction of the boundary wall to the government through the revenue department.
• Eight eco huts have been constructed by the Tourism Department for the convenience of tourists in Abbott Mount. At the same time, a heliport will also be constructed for tourists in Abbott Mount.
• The proposed heliport at Abbott Mount will provide air services to tourists coming from outside areas, while the heliport will also be used for relief and rescue work in times of disaster.

Cabinet Approves Uttarakhand Religion Freedom (Amendment) Bill 2022

Why In News?

The Uttarakhand Cabinet, which met under the chairmanship of Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami on November 16, 2022, approved the Uttarakhand Freedom of Religion (Amendment) Bill 2022.

Key Points

• 26 proposals came to the meeting, out of which 25 were approved. In these, the law of forced conversion in Uttarakhand has been made strict on the lines of Uttar Pradesh.
• Under the Uttarakhand Religion Freedom (Amendment) Bill 2022, those who forcefully convert in Uttarakhand will now be punished for up to ten years.
• Forcibly converting a person in Uttar Pradesh is punishable with imprisonment of one to five years and a fine of Rs 25,000, while in Uttarakhand, doing so will result in imprisonment of two to seven years and a fine of Rs 25,000.
• In the case of mass conversion in the state, now there will be a punishment of three to ten years, earlier there was a provision of maximum punishment of three years. Along with this, the victims will also be able to get compensation of five lakh rupees through the court.
• According to the information received from the media, the law of conversion in the state will now come under the category of cognizable and non-bailable offence. Earlier it was a non-cognizable offence. Now the government will put it on the table of the assembly.