Ecological Imbalance: Himachal Pradesh Government Acknowledges Gaps, Seeks Six Months from Supreme Court to Prepare Roadmap

Diary Times News Service

Shimla, Updated At : 16:58 PM Aug 25, 2025 IST

Acknowledging “shortcomings in the existing measures” to tackle ecological imbalance, the Himachal Pradesh government on Monday sought at least six months from the Supreme Court to prepare a comprehensive roadmap to address the situation.

In an affidavit filed before the apex court, the state emphasized the need to “identify gaps and formulate a future action plan” to effectively deal with both the destructive events witnessed in recent years and the ongoing environmental challenges.

As the matter—titled “Court’s proposal on issues concerning ecological and environmental conditions prevailing in the State of Himachal Pradesh”—came up for hearing, Advocate General Anup Kumar Rattan and Additional Advocate General Vaibhav Srivastava informed the bench headed by Justice Vikram Nath that the state had submitted an affidavit detailing existing mechanisms and measures undertaken to manage the crisis.

The government stated that it intends to form a core group comprising officials, subject experts such as geologists, hydrologists, and climate specialists, along with community representatives, “to identify deficiencies and recommend a roadmap for the future.”

Stressing that a forward-looking strategy was essential to address emerging challenges, the state requested “at least six months of additional time” to finalize the roadmap.

The bench—also comprising Justice Sandeep Mehta—appointed an amicus curiae (friend of the court) to assist in the suo motu public interest case on ecological imbalance in Himachal Pradesh, which in recent years has borne the brunt of natural calamities. The court scheduled the matter for further hearing in four weeks.

Highlighting the state’s vulnerability, the affidavit noted: “The hills and mountains of Himachal Pradesh are highly prone to landslides during monsoons and remain unsafe due to geological, meteorological, and anthropogenic factors, including high-intensity earthquakes. In recent years, Himachal Pradesh has faced severe climate impacts—rising temperatures, retreating glaciers, and altered rainfall patterns. The 2025 monsoon alone brought unusually intense rains, leading to loss of life and extensive damage to infrastructure, homes, and agriculture, especially in sensitive districts.”

On the challenges posed by climate change, the bench observed: “While the state remains committed to sustainable development, it cannot shoulder the burden of climate impacts alone.”

The government clarified that Himachal Pradesh “is not a non-compliant state” and has consistently factored environmental and urban planning concerns into its policies.

On July 28, expressing deep concern over ecological imbalance, the Supreme Court had warned that if unchecked development continued, the entire state could disappear from India’s map.

“We want the state government and the Union of India to understand that revenue generation is not everything. It cannot come at the cost of the environment and ecology. If things continue as they are, the day is not far when Himachal Pradesh will vanish from the country’s map,” a bench led by Justice JB Pardiwala had cautioned.

“God forbid that should ever happen. But urgent corrective measures in the right direction are essential,” the bench added while dismissing an appeal filed by M/s Pristine Hotels and Resorts Pvt. Ltd. against a Himachal Pradesh government notification dated June 6, 2025. The notification had declared Shri Tara Mata Hill a “green area” and prohibited all private construction there, leading to denial of permission for a hotel project.

Taking suo motu cognizance of the matter, Justice Pardiwala’s bench had earlier directed the Himachal Pradesh government to submit a report within four weeks on the steps being taken to address the deteriorating ecological and environmental conditions in the region.