Himachal High Court puts forest land diversion proposals for roads in abeyance
· India · Indian Express, The Hindu
The Himachal Pradesh High Court has put in abeyance all proposals that seek forest land diversion to build roads in ecologically fragile areas such as Chandertal Lake, Shikari Devi Mandir and Churdhar Temple. The Division Bench, headed by Chief Justice Gurmeet Singh Sandhawalia and Justice Bipin Chander Negi, issued the direction on 17 August after taking suo‑motu cognizance and converting the issue into a public interest litigation. The court cautioned that increased motorable access has amplified tourist pressure, environmental degradation and tree felling, noting that roads were cleared under the Forest Conservation Act, 1980 for sites without a resident population. This order follows a June 24 notification from the state government that it had 2,183 pending road projects involving forest land. The bench also raised concerns about overnight camping around Chandertal Lake and the disposal of human and plastic waste by tourists. The instruction effectively stalls any new forest cleara
Why it matters
The ruling protects ecologically fragile areas from further environmental damage and regulates tourism impact, while delaying development projects that may rely on forest land clearance.
Read the original report — Indian Express
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