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Key Points

The Supreme Court has taken serious note of the increasing natural disasters in Himalayan states. The bench observed evidence of illegal tree falling from floating wooden logs during recent floods. The court issued notices to multiple central and state authorities seeking responses. The petition calls for expert intervention to protect the fragile Himalayan ecology.

Key Points: Supreme Court Issues Notice on Himalayan States Natural Disasters PIL

  • SC issues notice to Centre and Himalayan states over disaster management failures
  • Bench observes illegal tree felling evidence from floating wooden logs
  • Petition accuses ministries of failing environmental protection duties
  • PIL seeks SIT to examine causes and recommend ecological protection measures
2 min read

SC issues notice on PIL highlighting rise in natural disasters in Himalayan states

SC takes suo motu cognizance of rising landslides and floods in Himalayan states, issues notice to Centre and states over illegal tree felling and ecological degradation.

"prima facie, it appears that there has been illegal felling of trees taking place in the uphill region. - CJI B.R. Gavai-led Bench"

New Delhi, Sep 4

The Supreme Court on Thursday issued notice on a public interest litigation (PIL) seeking the apex court's intervention in the rising occurrences of landslides, flash floods, and ecological degradation in Himalayan states.

“We have seen an unprecedented disaster on account of heavy rains and floods in the States of Uttarakhand, Himachal Pradesh, Punjab and the Union Territory of Jammu & Kashmir. From media reports, it has also been noticed that during the floods, a large number of wooden logs were seen flowing along with the water,” said a Bench of Chief Justice of India (CJI) B.R. Gavai and Justice K. Vinod Chandran.

The CJI Gavai-led Bench observed that “prima facie, it appears that there has been illegal felling of trees taking place in the uphill region.”

The apex court issued notices to Centre, National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA), National Highways Authority of India (NHAI), and state governments of Himachal Pradesh, Jammu & Kashmir, Punjab and Uttarakhand, returnable within two weeks.

The petition highlighted the increasing frequency of natural disasters and accuses both the Union and state Governments of lacking adequate plans to prevent or mitigate losses.

“The Central and states' government, in spite of having dedicated Disaster Authorities, have no plan in place to prevent or mitigate the losses due to these disasters whose frequency has increased of late,” the petition stated.

It further pointed out disregard of hill road manuals and encroachments on water bodies as contributing factors.

The PIL also accused key ministries for failing in their environmental responsibilities.

“The Union Ministry of Environment, Forests and Climate Change and Ministry of Jal Shakti have also failed in their duty to protect the pristine ecology and the rivers of the Himalayan region from degradation,” the plea said.

The petition emphasised the urgent need for expert intervention and prayed for the formation of a Special Investigation Team (SIT) to examine the causes of disasters, determine responsibilities, and recommend measures to protect the delicate ecology of the Himalayan region.

As per the computerised case status, the PIL is tentatively listed for hearing on September 23.

- IANS

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Reader Comments

P
Priya S
This is so important! My family in Shimla has been affected by landslides twice this year. The government needs to take strict action against illegal construction and protect our mountains. Nature is giving us warnings we can't ignore.
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Aman W
While I appreciate the court's intervention, we need more than just notices. Concrete action plans and implementation are what matter. The Himalayan ecosystem is too precious to lose to bureaucratic delays.
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Sarah B
As someone who frequently visits the Himalayas for trekking, I've seen the ecological damage firsthand. The illegal felling of trees and uncontrolled tourism development is heartbreaking. Hope this PIL brings real change.
Vikram M
The wooden logs flowing with flood waters clearly show illegal logging activities. State governments must be held accountable. We need sustainable development policies for Himalayan states, not concrete jungles.
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Nisha Z
This is a wake-up call for all of us. We can't keep exploiting nature and then act surprised when disasters strike. Hope the SIT recommends strong measures to protect our Himalayas. 🌄

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