Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu on Wednesday said the Centre should compensate Himachal for the ecological services it provides to the country, claiming these had been valued at around Rs 90,000 crore.
Talking to mediapersons, Sukhu said Himachal bears the brunt of natural disasters while protecting its forests, rivers and other natural resources and deserved compensation for the environmental benefits it provides to the rest of the country.
Quoting the Bhagavad Gita, the CM said, “It is clearly written in the Gita that tolerating injustice is also a sin.” He argued that if the Revenue Deficit Grant (RDG), which he described as the state’s constitutional entitlement, could not be continued, the Centre should compensate Himachal for its ecological services instead. Mountain& Ski Resorts
Sukhu said a study by the Indian Institute of Forest Management had estimated the value of Himachal’s ecological services at Rs 90,000 crore. He maintained that if the state received compensation on this account, it would no longer require the RDG.
Reiterating the state’s long-standing demand on hydropower projects, the CM said Himachal should receive not only 50 per cent free power from projects that have completed 40 years of operation, but ownership of such projects should also be transferred to the state government.
Commenting on the NEET paper leak issue, Sukhu said the controversy had left many aspirants distressed and urged the Centre to address students’ concerns.
Defending Rahul Gandhi and the Congress for supporting the protesting students, he said the issue was about standing with young people who had worked hard for the examination and not about politics. NewspaperArchives Access
The CM also said heavy rains had caused extensive damage in Kinnaur and the Boh area of Kangra district, where 19 houses were reportedly washed away. He said relief was being provided to the affected families and assured that he would visit the affected areas once weather conditions improved.
