RSS-Backed Tree-Saving Yatra Near Gangotri Concludes Amid Concerns Over Char Dham Road Widening

A tree-conservation yatra, led by local citizens, environmental groups, and supported by the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh’s (RSS) environment wing, concluded in Harsil on Sunday. The initiative comes at a time of rising concern over the possible destruction of thousands of trees in the ecologically sensitive Uttarkashi–Gangotri region of Uttarakhand due to the ongoing Char Dham road project.

The yatra witnessed the participation of nearly 100 people who tied Raksha Sutras, or sacred protective threads, to majestic Deodar trees along one of the last untouched stretches of the upper Ganga. The symbolic gesture aimed to draw national attention to the environmental vulnerability of the region and the need to preserve its native biodiversity.

Prominent figures including Gopal Arya, chief of the RSS’s environment wing, were present at the ceremony. Senior RSS functionary Krishna Gopal and veteran BJP leader Murli Manohar Joshi extended their support through video messages. The speakers collectively emphasized the importance of adopting a sustainable and disaster-resilient model of road construction-especially in Himalayan valleys prone to landslides and flash floods. They urged authorities to reconsider the practice of uniform road widening in ecologically fragile zones.

In his video address, Joshi said, “We are not against defense and strategic needs. But we must recognize that without protecting the Himalayas, nothing-from agriculture to economic interests-can remain secure. The nation cannot be safe if the Himalayas are not preserved.”

Echoing this sentiment, RSS joint general secretary Krishna Gopal added, “Our safety depends on the safety of the Himalayas. If our sacred trees, glaciers, and the environment deteriorate, humanity as a whole will face grave consequences. This yatra highlights the flaws in our current development paradigm and urges us to rethink our approach. Saving these trees is akin to safeguarding the Ganga and protecting our glaciers.”

The yatra was launched by former Union minister Karan Singh, in collaboration with scientists, environmental activists, local community groups, and the RSS. The objective was to spread awareness about the ecological degradation occurring in the Himalayas, particularly regarding indiscriminate road widening for the Char Dham projects.

Earlier in September, Murli Manohar Joshi and Karan Singh wrote to the then Chief Justice of India, B. R. Gavai, seeking a review of the Supreme Court’s 2021 judgment that allowed extensive expansion of certain stretches of the Char Dham all-weather highway on strategic grounds. Later, on November 26, the group operating under the banner “Himalaya To Hum Hain” announced that they would formally challenge the 2021 ruling.

Meanwhile, the Uttarakhand government has authorized the widening of a 20-kilometre stretch between Bhaironghati and Jhala in the Harsil Valley. The region recently witnessed the tragic Dharali landslide on August 5, which claimed 16 lives, underscoring the extreme vulnerability of the terrain.

As the yatra concludes, the growing coalition of environmentalists, local residents, and policy influencers continues to stress that protecting the Himalayas is not just an ecological necessity-it is integral to safeguarding India’s Cultural Heritage, river systems, and National Security.