Environmentalists Urge Chief Minister to Review State’s Environmental Policy

300 lives lost in cloudbursts and flash floods over the past two months

In the wake of recent cloudbursts, flash floods, landslides, and hill collapses across the state, several environmental groups have urged Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu to issue new environmental guidelines for Himachal Pradesh to prevent such disasters in the future.

Speaking to the press today, KB Ralhan, Subhash Sharma, and Suresh Kumar highlighted that cloudbursts have become a frequent occurrence in Himalayan regions over the past five years, causing severe devastation. They pointed out that in the last two months alone, 300 lives have been lost due to cloudbursts and subsequent flash floods, nearly 25 villages were submerged, and more than 1,000 roads and infrastructure projects were damaged.

Given the scale of destruction, they emphasized that the government must adopt a zero-tolerance policy toward violations of environmental laws. The new guidelines should strictly prohibit tree felling along riverbanks and streams, hill cutting, and indiscriminate construction activities. Additionally, extraction in rivers should be permitted only in select areas and must comply with guidelines periodically issued by the National Green Tribunal (NGT) and the Supreme Court.

The environmentalists further urged the state government to revoke the 2023 notification that allowed the use of heavy machinery like JCBs, Poclain excavators, and earthmovers for mining activities. They criticized the government’s decision to permit heavy machinery for sand and stone extraction from rivers and streams, calling it a blatant interference with nature.

They pointed out that both the NGT and the High Court have repeatedly expressed concern over the use of heavy machinery for extracting sand, stones, and other minerals from rivers in the state.

Despite protests from environmental groups, the government has ignored these concerns. They warned that most of the state’s rivers flow through protected forests—ecologically sensitive areas where any form of environmental degradation should be strictly prohibited.

Ralhan added, “In a landmark order, the Supreme Court has directed that every protected forest should have a 1 km eco-sensitive zone (ESZ). Mining in national parks, wildlife sanctuaries, and major rivers should be completely banned.”

He also stressed that the cumulative environmental impacts of hydropower projects—whether large, medium, or small—must be assessed holistically. Construction methods for major projects should be designed with the Himalayan ecosystem in mind, and building codes must be updated and reinforced to ensure the fragile ecology of the region is not further disturbed.

Ralhan warned that the recent disasters are a warning of what could escalate if urgent steps are not taken to prevent environmental degradation. Without decisive action, such incidents are likely to increase in frequency and severity in the near future.