The demands had been presented in a letter to the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO), asking for the rights of the local people to be addressed before granting a world heritage status to the GHNP, located in the Kullu district of Himachal Pradesh.
Says Sanjeeva Pandey, “ The area was delineated to become a national park as it did not have any habitation, had very high biodiversity values (no roads in the designated park area), the people living in its buffer zone on the western side led traditional lifestyles, and very little amount of tourism. As required under the Wildlife (Protection) Act of India, 1972, an initial notification was issued in 1984, and in 1999, the process of settlement of rights of local people (which were mostly of herb collection and grazing) in the park was completed. The Collector awarded a sum of Rs. 1,79,76,433 to those who had rights in the delineated area of GHNP. There was no rehabilitation of any person as the area chosen did not have any habitation. In light of these facts, the controversy raised by the Himalayan Niti Abhiyan is very unfortunate."
Along with the government of Himachal Pradesh, the Forest Department, Friends of GHNP, many local individuals, NGOs and many people from India and abroad support the park's application to become a World Heritage Site.
Source: Sanctuary Asia.
