New Delhi, Dec. 6 -- The Uttarakhand government has given its nod to the widening of a 20.6-km stretch under the Char Dham project in the upper reaches of Bhagirathi Eco-Sensitive zone, people aware of the details said on Friday. The stretch, called package 1, links Bhaironghat to Jhala villages in Uttarkashi district. According to a letter from the Uttarakhand Head of Forest Forces (HoFF), the stretch will involve the loss of 41.92 hectares of forest area, which includes several Deodar trees. In the letter dated November 12 to the state nodal officer, forest land, the HoFF said that the road widening is "strategically important for national security". The project, hence, has been considered under section 1A, sub-section (2)(c) of the Forest (Conservation and Augmentation) Act, 1980 (as amended in 2023) -- which exempts strategic linear projects, situated within 100km along international borders or Line of Control or Line of Actual Control, from forest clearance, the letter said. "If a project is declared strategic by the ministry of defence or the ministry of home, the state has the authority to approve diversion of land. Since this stretch is in the Bhagirathi Eco-Sensitive Zone, there is also a monitoring committee constituted by the MoEFCC (Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change). They have also considered this project and it has received approval following these deliberations," said a senior official, who was involved in the clearance process, on the condition of anonymity. Environment groups have organised a yatra on Saturday from Delhi and Rishikesh up to Uttarkashi, Bhaironghati and Harsil, where public gatherings will be held to discuss their concerns over the project....