Himachal ecological imbalance: SC to pass order on suo motu PIL on September 23

The Supreme Court on Monday said it will pass an order on September 23 on a suo motu PIL on issues relating to ecological and environmental conditions prevailing in Himachal Pradesh that has been at the receiving end of nature’s fury in recent years.

"List on September 23 for order. We will give you a brief order after summarising everything so that you can get specific instructions," a Bench of Justice Vikram Nath and Justice Sandeep Mehta told Himachal Pradesh Advocate General Anup Rattan and Additional Advocate General Vaibhav Srivastava.

The Bench indicated that it intended to expand the scope and ambit of the PIL to the entire Himalayan region. “This is not going to be limited to Himachal only…The entire Himalayan region…,” Justice Mehta said.

The order came after amicus curiae K Parameshwar pointed out that there were certain issues with the Himachal Pradesh Government’s affidavit as it suggested setting up a committee to look into various aspects of the problem without getting into specifics.

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

Acknowledging that “there are shortcomings in the existing measures” to deal with ecological imbalance in the state, the Himachal Pradesh Government had on August 25 sought “at least six months” from the top court to prepare a roadmap.

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”.

“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 into thin air from the map of the country,” the top court had said on July 28.

“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 to construct a hotel at Shri Tara Mata Hill -- declared a “Green Area”, by the said notification prohibiting all private construction on the site.

Faced with the Supreme Court’s warning that the entire state may vanish into thin air if unregulated development continues unabated, the Himachal Pradesh Government had defended construction of hydropower projects in the state, terming them a cleaner alternative to fossil fuel-based thermal power projects.

In an affidavit filed in the top court in response to the suo motu PIL on ecological imbalance and the court’s concern regarding alleged destruction caused by hydropower projects, the Himachal Pradesh Government emphasised that its economy depended majorly on hydropower projects and tourism.