Himalayan Ski Village Project On Track – John Sims

Shimla: To satisfy environmental lobbies, the Himalayan Ski Village (HSV) promoters have altered plans and decided to turn the proposed resort into a green project that would leave minimal carbon imprint in the fragile high altitude environs.

Rubbishing reports about central environment ministry having objected to the project over environmental concerns, John Robert Sims, managing director HSV said, “backed by the promoters, the Ski Village project is moving on course and all objections from concerned quarters are being addressed.”

He said a 1500 page environment impact assessment prepared by 25 environment scientists from Indian Institute of Forest Management was submitted to the central ministry that was followed by a meeting with the officials.

Currently we are preparing engineering plans to address issues like mercury disposal from camera batteries that tourists would use, grease and oil disposal that would be generated at the resort, reducing generator backup dependence by adopting renewal energy technology and recycling sewage for generation power, said Sims.

After these measures are implemented we would in fact become eligible for carbon credits as this is going to be a fully green resort, he said.

Discussions with the Himachal government about implementing the project were on track and all the queries were being responded to, he said.

Though the in principal agreement for the multi million dollar project had been made by the previous government headed by Virbhadra Singh, the new BJP government had set up a high powered committee to review the whole project, especially to address environmental concerns.

A non governmental organization (NGO) had even approached the High Court over the matter but with the court have put aside the matter, the Prem Kumar Dhumal headed government is yet to clear the project.

Ravinder Makhaik

As Editor, Ravinder Makhaik leads a team of media professionals at Hill Post.

Spanning a career of over two decades in mass communication, as a Documentary Filmmaker, TV journalist, Print Media journalist and with Online & Social Media, he brings with him a vast experience. He lives in Shimla.