Summary:
New Delhi, Nov 17 (PTI) Amid concerns over the proposed Chardham project, a senior government official on Wednesday termed allegations that road construction triggered landslides in Uttarakhand as "spurious and counter productive" to the national causes, and asserted that geology of the area is fragile.
Union Road Secretary Giridhar Aramane said the government"s aim is to provide connectivity to remote areas and it is yet to be scientifically established that the Chardham project has resulted in landslides and flash floods in the area.
Last week, the Supreme Court reserved its verdict on pleas with respect to the ambitious project.
The strategic 900 kilometres-long Chardham project worth Rs 12,000 crore aims to widen roads and provide all-weather connectivity to four holy towns -- Yamunotri, Gangotri, Kedarnath, and Badrinath -- in Uttarakhand.
Aramane cited reports of the Geological Survey of India (GSI) and other organisations to emphasise that road construction was not the reason for any of the landslides in Uttarakhand.
"The area is generally prone to landslides, even where there is no road...