Top court’s judgment sends ‘alarm bells ringing’ for environmentalists, NGOs

Environmentalists and other organisations today asked the government to look into recent comments of the Supreme Court that Himachal would vanish one day if the ruling dispensation failed to check ecological degradation in the state. They said the top court’s judgement has sent the alarm bells ringing for environmental organisations and the state government. The mafia, which had played havoc with nature, should be arrested, they said.

Addressing mediapersons here yesterday, KB Ralhan, Suresh Kumar, Ashwani Gautam, BK Sood, Varun Bhuria and Subhash Sharma representing NGOs like — People’s Voice, Save Environment and Environment Healers — urged Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu that the time had come for the implementation of the environmental laws strictly in the state. They said in the past 10 years illegal constructions on hill slopes, illegal mining and unscientific cutting of hills had played havoc with nature in the absence of any check by the state authorities. They said such activities led to tragedies, which claimed over 100 lives in the state in the past one month, and destroyed properties worth crores.

They asked Sukhu to impose complete ban on mining in all major rivers and rivulets in the state, stop reckless cutting of hills and not allow construction of high rise buildings on hill slopes as these activities were responsible for recent disasters.

They suggested that the government should hire technical experts from the IIT Roorkee or from some other institution to guide the Public Works Department and the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) for the construction of highways in the eco-fragile region of the hill state. They said the recent Sukhu government’s notification allowing the use of heavy machinery like the JCB and poclain machines for mining in rivers and rivulets was “suicidal” and anti-environment act. The notification should be immediately withdrawn, they added.

They accused state agencies of failing to enforce the National Green Tribunal (NGT) ban and curtail the influence of the mafia which allegedly operates under political patronage. They warned that the situation threatens drinking water supply and irrigation schemes reliant on rivers. The mafia had reportedly damaged supply lines and riverbeds, endangering the region’s water security, they added.

They said Beas and Sutlej rivers were one of North India’s largest water bodies, supporting numerous dams, power projects and irrigation schemes. These rivers were facing ecological degradation due to construction of power projects, unchecked mining and deforestation. Not only these rivers, but their tributaries too were affected, with severe erosion and damage caused by sand and stone extraction. — OC