Shimla, July 26: The Himachal Pradesh High Court has issued a stern order seeking a fresh status report on illegal dumping in the Gobind Sagar lake, and also imposed a fine of Rs 50,000. The action comes as part of the court’s demand for greater accountability in dealing with the environmental matter, which has attracted significant public concern.
A division bench of Chief Justice MS Ramachandra Rao and Justice Satyen Vaidya passed the orders while presiding over a PIL filed by Madan Lal, general secretary of the Fourlane Displaced and Affected Committee. The petition highlighted the serious environmental damage caused by illegal dumping associated with the widening of the Kiratpur-Manali road, a project overseen by the National Highways Authority of India.
In their judgment, the judges expressed dissatisfaction with the status report submitted by the forest department. The report did not provide sufficient reasons for not taking punitive action against the offenders and instead focused on minor departmental actions. The court considered this a deliberate attempt by the government to avoid seriously addressing the issue and protect the culprits involved.
“The government’s reluctance to respond to the court’s queries shows that there is an intent to protect those responsible for illegal dumping,” the bench said. It stressed that the chief secretary should take responsibility to ensure strict and effective action against the erring forest personnel and monitor the resolution of the matter.
The high court’s order underlines the environmental significance of the case, stressing that inaction by government officials against those causing damage to the environment amounts to a failure to fulfil their constitutional and legal obligations. The court emphasised that the government must make every effort to protect and improve the environment as well as safeguard the wildlife and aquatic life of the country.
The bench also said that punitive measures are necessary to prevent future violations and maintain the rule of law. By seeking a fresh status report and imposing a financial penalty, the court aims to ensure that the issue is given serious attention.
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