Lucknow, Nov 28 (IANS) The Uttarakhand government has clamped heavy restrictions on the number of people undertaking the popular 18-km trek to Gomukh - the source of the Ganga, a river revered by Hindus.
Uttarakhand Chief Minister Ramesh Pokhriyal said here Saturday: “We have decided not to allow more than 150 people to undertake the trek in a month.”

Pokhriyal was here on a day-long visit to resolve various issues pending between the Uttarakhand and Uttar Pradesh governments ever since the former was carved out of the latter nine years ago.

He also held a two-hour long meeting with his Uttar Pradesh counterpart Mayawati.

According to Pokhriyal, “The restrictions had to be imposed essentially because of the increasing human pressure on the Gangotri glacier that has been receding at an alarming rate”.

“The Ganga is a national and invaluable heritage with which we cannot afford to risk anything. So we (have) decided to take this first step towards preserving it,” he said.

Admitting that the growth of hotels in Gangotri - the last motorable road on the route - was responsible for the increasing pollution of the Ganga, the chief minister said: “A sustainable plan would be drawn up soon to curb such pollution as well.”