Decks cleared for special Pink Sandstone supply for Ayodhya temple

By Archana Sharma Jaipur, Feb 5 : Decks have been cleared to allow the mining of a special sandstone, much sought after by builders, including those constructing the Ram temple in Ayodhya, from Bharatpur’s Bandh Baretha sanctuary.
However, officials, environmentalists and public representatives of the area are shocked at the lightning pace with which the decision has been taken.
Last Friday, a standing committee of the Rajasthan Wildlife Board cleared a proposal to allow the mining of a special sandstone. The proposal to denotify Bharatpur’s Bandh Baretha wildlife sanctuary for pink sandstone mining will now be put up before the Rajasthan Wildlife Board headed by Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot, said Chief Wildlife Warden Mohan Meena.
After the matter is taken up by the state wildlife board for consideration, it will be sent for the approval by the National Wildlife Board.
The standing committee of the Rajasthan wildlife board, it needs to be mentioned here, is headed by Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot.
Last Friday, it was decided to shift Bharatpur’s Bandh Baretha wildlife sanctuary “southwestward” to exclude three forest blocks which have been “damaged irreparably” by rampant mining.