Uttarakhand High Court Slams State Government For Condition Of Van Gujjar Community   

Uttarakhand High Court has slammed the state government for "callousness" towards families of Van Gujjars.

The court has reportedly slammed the Uttarakhand government for the condition of living of families from the nomadic community living in the Himalayan region of the state.

The report says: HC order cited the petition to note that since these families cannot sell the milk produced by their cattle due to the Covid-induced lockdown, their life was reduced to “below animal existence” for they have neither shelter, nor economic means to survive.

The court also ordered the government to provide the families from the Van Gujjar community accommodation, food, water, medicines and to get them tested for Covid-19. The court has said that all these steps should be taken before letting them enter Govind Pashu Vihar National Park in Uttarkashi district.

The state government has reportedly told the court that letting the tribe enter Govind Pashu Vihar National Park and Wildlife Sanctuary, which is a national park, may endanger the wildlife as the Covid may spread from humans to animals.

The report says: The HC noted that some migrating Van Gujjars were forced to live under open skies in tough conditions after they were denied entry to Govind Pashu Vihar National Park in Uttarkashi by the deputy director of the park, Komal Singh, despite holding permits.

The PIL, the report mentions, was filed by a Delhi-based NGO Think Act Rise Foundation in 2019 to highlight the plight of Van Gujjars.