Can Badrinath shrine be declared national heritage: HC to Centre

Nainital (Uttarakhand) : The Uttarakhand High Court on Monday asked the Union government whether the Badrinath shrine can be declared a national heritage site.

Hearing a petition filed by law student Chetna Bhargava, the Court directed the counsel of the Jai Nigam to inspect the region and present a report at the next hearing.

The bench of Justice V.K. Bisht and Justice Manoj Kumar Tiwari also asked the central government to file an affidavit by August 27 -- the next date of hearing. It said the Advocate General should discuss with the Secretary (Urban Development) the possibility of the region being developed specially.

In the public interest litigation (PIL), the petitioner has alleged that the sewage treatment plant (STP) at Badrinath has been constructed at the mouth of Alaknanda and Rishi Ganga, causing dirty sewage water to flow into the rivers.

The petitioner has also demanded that the STP be shifted elsewhere as the river water is used by the temples.