Ecological imbalance: HP Govt admits shortcomings; seeks 6 months from SC to prepare roadmap

Acknowledging that “there are shortcomings in the existing measures” to deal with ecological imbalance in the state, the Himachal Pradesh Government on Monday sought “at least six months” from the Supreme Court to prepare a roadmap to deal with the situation.

In an affidavit filed in the top court, the state government emphasised “the need for their (shortcomings’) identification, along with the formulation of a comprehensive future action plan to effectively address the disastrous situations witnessed in recent years as well as the continuing challenges.”

As the matter titled ‘IN RE: ISSUES RELATING TO ECOLOGY AND ENVIRONMENTAL CONDITIONS PREVAILING IN THE STATE OF HIMACHAL PRADESH BY COURTS MOTION’ came up for hearing, Himachal Pradesh Advocate General Anup Kumar Rattan and Additional Advocate General Vaibhav Srivastava told a Bench led by Justice Vikram Nath that the state has filed an affidavit detailing the current mechanisms and steps taken to arrest the situation.

“To this end, the Respondent State intends to constitute a Core Group comprising of concerned officers, subject matter experts such as Geologists, Hydrologists, Climate Change Experts etc. from various institutions, and community representatives to identify these shortcomings and suggest a roadmap for the future,” the state government said in its affidavit.

“A comprehensive roadmap for the future is essential to tackle the emerging challenges,” the HP Government said, seeking “additional time of at least six months to contemplate a roadmap”.

The Bench -- which also included Justice Sandeep Mehta -- decided to appoint an amicus curiae (friend of the court) to assist it in the suo motu PIL initiated by it on ecological imbalance in Himachal Pradesh that has been at the receiving end of nature’s fury in recent years and posted the matter for hearing after four weeks.

Noting that the hills and mountains of Himachal Pradesh are susceptible to landslides during monsoons and are vulnerable due to geological, meteorological and anthropogenic factors, including high intensity earthquakes, the affidavit said, “In recent years, Himachal Pradesh has faced significant impacts from climate change, marked by rising temperatures, retreating glaciers, and altered rainfall patterns. The 2025 monsoon season alone brought unusually intense rainfall, resulting in human loss and extensive damage to infrastructure, homes, and agriculture, particularly in vulnerable districts of the State.”

Regarding challenges posed by climate change, it said, “While the State is committed to pursuing sustainable development, it alone cannot bear the burden of climate change impacts.”

It asserted that “Himachal Pradesh is not a non-compliant state” and that "it has been taking care of the environment and has also been taking care of Town Planning.”

Expressing serious concerns over ecological imbalance in Himachal Pradesh, the Supreme Court had on July 28 warned that the entire state may vanish in thin air from the map of India, if unregulated development continues unabated.

“We want to impress upon the State Government and (the) Union of India respectively that earning revenue is not everything. Revenue cannot be earned at the cost of the environment and ecology. If things proceed, the way they are as on date, then the day is not far when the entire State of HP may vanish in thin air from the map of the country,” a Bench led by Justice JB Pardiwala had said.

“God forbid this doesn’t happen. Therefore, it is of utmost necessity that adequate steps are taken at the earliest in the right direction,” it had said, dismissing an appeal filed by M/s Pristine Hotels and Resorts Pvt. Ltd against the high court's decision upholding the Himachal Pradesh Government's June 6, 2025 notification that formed the basis of denial of permission to it construct a hotel at Shri Tara Mata Hill -- declared a “Green Area,” by the said notification prohibiting all private construction on the site.

Initiating a suo motu PIL on the issue, Justice Pardiwala-led Bench had asked the HP Government to submit a report in four weeks about the steps taken to address the deteriorating ecological and environmental conditions prevailing in the region.