Lagatar24 Desk
New Delhi, Jan 4: The Union environment secretary and the chief secretary of Jharkhand have been called to testify before the National Commission for Minorities, which has taken note of the Jain community’s objections to a plan to turn their sacred place into a hub of ecotourism.
The Commission claimed in a statement that it had heard from the Jain community on a number of occasions regarding the central government’s and Jharkhand’s plans to turn the Jain pilgrimage destination Shri Sammed Shikharji Hill into an eco-tourism hub.
“This decision has hurt the religious sentiments of the Jain community all over India. The representations submitted by the community also raise the issue of encroachment and other problems at Shri Sammed Shikharji. The Commission has received requests from Jains all over the country for declaring Shri Sammed Shikharji a holy place. The National Commission for Minorities has already requested the Government of Jharkhand to consider the demand of Jain community members,” it said.
It said a hearing has been fixed for January 17 to resolve the issue.
“The Commission has summoned the Secretary, Ministry of Environment, Forest & Climate Change, and Chief Secretary of Jharkhand,” the Commission said.
The National Commission for Minorities was established by the NCM Act of 1992 and given the duty to investigate particular complaints involving the denial of minorities’ rights and protections and to bring these issues up with the relevant authorities.
