Uttarakhand

• 18 Jul 2024

Encroachment on Glacier

Why in News?

Recently, Baba Yogi Chaitanya Akash, a self-proclaimed godman, constructed an unauthorized shrine at 5,000 meters on Uttarakhand's Sunderdhunga glacier.

• A joint team from revenue, forest, and police departments will investigate after local villagers expressed anger over encroachment.

Key Points

• The self-proclaimed godman claimed that he was instructed by a divine power to build a temple on the mountain.
• The location is an ecologically sensitive spot, with a sacred kund for pilgrims and locals.
• People visit the Kund during the Nanda Raj Yatra every twelve years.
  • It is a well-known cultural and religious event in Uttarakhand, famous for the pilgrims covering an extremely long distance on foot. The most recent Nanda Raj Yatra took place in 2014.
• An unauthorized temple built in an ecologically sensitive and religiously significant area has raised concerns about the local authorities and the Uttarakhand government's anti-encroachment efforts in sensitive zones.

Sunderdhunga Glacier

• The Sunderdhunga Glacier is situated on the right side of the Pindar Valley, approximately 24 kilometers beyond the village of Khati.
• It is considered a more challenging trek compared to the hikes to Pindari and Kafni Glaciers.
• It is located in Uttarakhand's Bageshwar district.