AsiaIS > India > UttarPradesh > Dehradun > Introduction
D E H R A D U N
The
unhurried lifestyle and moderate climate of Dehradun make it the ideal retirement town it
is. Some parts of the town still retain a distinctive British character, while a lot
of it has outgrown its colonial origins. The town is also a centre for renowned public
schools and educational institutions.
In recent
times, widespread environmental degradation due to limestone quarrying around the town has
caused concern amongst local inhabitants and conservationist. After a lengthy process of
protests and litigation, the Supreme Court imposed a ban on limestone quarrying, and
efforts at re-forestation of the denuded hill slopes around Dehradun have begun.
Today, Dehradun is the administrative centre of the hill
region of Uttaranchal and the capital of the new hill state that has been
carved out of Uttar Pradesh. Dehradun sees a lot of local tourists escaping the hot and
dusty plains to its temperate climes.