Delhi
Himachal Pradesh, renowned for its natural and mountain beauty, is today standing on the brink of environmental crisis. The Supreme Court has made a strong comment on the deteriorating ecological condition of the state and warned that if there is no improvement soon, then one day the whole of Himachal may disappear from the map.
The court said in clear words that “revenue receipt cannot be at the cost of the environment.” A bench of Justice JB Pardiwala and Justice R Mahadevan has ordered the Himachal Pradesh government to give a detailed reply on this issue in four weeks. The court said that now the time has come for the government to take our comments seriously and take meaningful steps as soon as possible.
The Supreme Court clarified that climate change is having a direct and worrying impact on Himachal Pradesh. The court’s comment was, “If this situation continues, then one day Himachal Pradesh may be completely wiped out, God forbid that happens!” This warning is not just an imagination of the future, but is based on the incidents of landslides, floods and mountain imbalances in the state in the past years.
The court did not blame nature alone for environmental disasters. It said, “Mountain sliding, soil erosion, and increasing landslides are the result of uncontrolled human activities.” Unscientific construction, encroachment and deforestation in the name of development have caused serious damage to the geological stability of the state.
The court also questioned the role of the central government and said that it is also the responsibility of the Center to ensure that ecological balance is maintained in the state and disasters are controlled.
This comment came in a case in which the High Court had upheld the notification of the Himachal government in which Tara Mata hill was declared a ‘green area’ and any kind of private construction was banned there.
