Dehradun/Pithoragarh
Anger is simmering in Uttarakhand’s frontier district of Pithoragarh as the protest by ex-servicemen against the proposed relocation of the 130 Environment Battalion entered its 29th day on Monday, with veterans warning the Dhami government and the Centre to immediately withdraw the order or face an intensified agitation.
Calling the move a blow to the fragile border economy and the Himalayan ecology, former soldiers said the battalion’s removal would not only weaken environmental protection efforts but also severely affect livelihoods in the remote region.
The protest began on a sombre note with the participants observing two minutes of silence to pay tribute to a serving soldier and two youths who died in a tragic road accident in the Bangapani area earlier in the day. Prayers were also offered for the speedy recovery of an injured youth.
As the dharna gathered momentum, freedom fighter Mohan Singh Kholiya joined the protest and extended moral support, boosting the morale of the agitating veterans. But the absence of any concrete response from the government or public representatives even after nearly a month of continuous protest has deepened resentment among the ex-servicemen.
“This is not merely about shifting a battalion. It is about the honour of soldiers, security of the border region and protection of the Himalayan environment,” the protesters said, warning that continued indifference from political leaders would invite a democratic backlash in the 2027 elections.
The veterans also lashed out at the political leadership of the district, saying that despite having three MLAs and a Member of Parliament, the border region appears “leaderless” on an issue so critical to the local population and the ex-servicemen community.
Among those present at the protest were Inspector Keshar Singh Digari, Subedar Major Ghanshyam Joshi, Umesh Fulera, Shyam Vishwakarma, Dharm Singh Rasoni, Anand Singh, Balwant Singh, and Kishan Singh, along with dozens of other ex-servicemen.
Raising the pitch of their agitation, the veterans declared in unison that the relocation of the 130 Environment Battalion would not be accepted at any cost, and warned that the protest would grow wider if the Dhami government and the Centre fail to revoke the decision immediately.
