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Informist, Monday, Jul. 28, 2025

 

NEW DELHI – Noting that rampant construction in Himachal Pradesh has destroyed the ecology of the entire state, the Supreme Court on Monday observed that it is not far when the state will vanish from India's map. "Look at the natural calamities, all this infrastructure has destroyed the entire state," said a bench of Justices J.B. Pardiwala and R. Mahadevan.

 

The state is finished and the state government and the officials are solely responsible for the current condition of Himachal Pradesh, the top court said. "You (Himachal Pradesh government) never paid attention. You permitted developers to construct. Look at the condition today, who is suffering? Poor people in the state. You can't control the flow of tourism in the state. The state government and authorities are responsible for this situation and God forbid the time is not far when the state of Himachal Pradesh will vanish," it said.

 

The top court questioned the Himachal Pradesh government on how many more trees will have to be chopped. Are there any trees left, the court asked the lawyer representing the state, and added that trees that are left should be protected. "Wake up Mr AG (advocate general appearing for Himachal Pradesh), revenue is not everything, nature is important, convey it to your state government. This is a message to all states, including Uttarakhand... Stop felling of trees, save the trees," said the court. 

 

The court said it was too late for the Himachal Pradesh government to issue a notification declaring green areas to curb construction activity there. The apex court said the situation in the state has gotten worse due to harm to the environment. Hundreds of people had vanished in floods this year and thousands of properties were destroyed, said the court.

 

One cannot only blame nature for the disasters. Here, humans are responsible for phenomena such as landslides and the collapse of houses, said the apex court. According to experts and various reports, the major causes of destruction are hydropower projects, deforestation, and multi-storey buildings, it said. 

 

The bench said that it was important for Himachal Pradesh to seek the opinion of geologists, environmentalists and locals before any development activity takes place in the state. Noting that the state attracts a lot of tourists, the top court said the heavy machinery used to cut through mountains for building four-lane roads in the state had destroyed the natural balance of Himachal Pradesh. 

 

It is high time the Himachal Pradesh government pays attention and starts taking action at the earliest to preserve its environment, said the top court. The Centre also owes an obligation to see that ecological balance in Himachal Pradesh was not disturbed, the court added. 

 

Further, the top court dismissed Pristine Hotels and Resorts Pvt. Ltd.'s plea challenging the state government's notification for green area declaration. Pristine Hotels and Resorts wanted to set up a resort in the state, however, as Sri Tara Mata Hill had been declared a green area, the petitioner could not do so. Rejecting Pristine Hotels' plea, the top court upheld the Himachal Pradesh High Court's order that the petitioner was not an aggrieved person as he was yet to be granted permission under Section 118 of the Himachal Pradesh Tenancy and Land Reforms Act, 1972 to purchase land in this state, as it was mandatory for a non-agriculturist.  End

 

Reported by Surya Tripathi

Edited by Tanima Banerjee

 

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