India’s Supreme Court has issued a stark warning that Himachal Pradesh could vanish from the country’s map if immediate steps are not taken to protect the environment. Emphasizing the need to curb unchecked development, the apex court stated that failure to restore ecological balance could lead to the entire state being wiped out.
On Friday, a Division Bench comprising Justices J.B. Pardiwala and R. Madhavan expressed these concerns while hearing a case and directed the filing of a public interest litigation (PIL) to address the issue. The court instructed the Himachal Pradesh government to submit its response within four weeks.
The case originated from a hotel company that faced restrictions on construction work imposed by the state government. The construction was taking place in a designated “green zone” as declared by the state’s Town and Country Development Authority in June. The company challenged the restriction in the Himachal Pradesh High Court, which upheld the government’s decision. The company then approached the Supreme Court, which declined to interfere with the High Court’s ruling but made significant observations in the larger public interest.
The bench remarked that action should have been taken much earlier, as the situation in Himachal Pradesh has deteriorated significantly. The judges highlighted that environmental imbalances have led to frequent natural disasters, including floods and landslides, resulting in loss of lives and extensive property damage. This year alone, hundreds of people have been affected by floods, with many losing their lives in landslides and significant property destruction.
The court emphasized, “The state and central governments must understand that revenue generation cannot be the sole objective. If revenue is earned at the cost of the environment and ecosystem, a day will come when Himachal Pradesh will cease to exist.”
The judges held humans responsible for the crisis, noting that rampant development, including four-lane roads, ropeways, tunnels, and unchecked urban expansion, has proceeded without consulting geologists, environmentalists, or local communities. Environmental regulations have been ignored in pursuit of economic gains, they added.
Tourism, the state’s primary revenue source, is also contributing to environmental degradation due to uncontrolled tourist influx. The court warned that without immediate corrective measures, the state could face catastrophic consequences. Over the past few years, Himalayan states like Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand have experienced increasing incidents of flash floods, heavy rainfall, and landslides, severely disrupting lives. According to state government data, since the onset of the monsoon on June 20, 170 people have died in floods, and property worth INR 1,500 crore has been damaged, with 1,352 houses affected.
The bench called for halting deforestation and unnecessary hydroelectric projects, as well as curbing non-essential construction. “The more tourists visit, the greater the environmental damage. If we don’t act now, Himachal Pradesh may one day be erased from the map,” the judges cautioned.
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