Himachal High Court Orders PIL on Roads to Fragile Tourist Sites

The Himachal Pradesh High Court has taken serious note of the ecological impact of opening fragile areas to tourism, particularly through permissions granted under the Forest Conservation Act. A division bench comprising Chief Justice Gurmeet Singh Sandhawalia and Justice Bipin Chander Negi flagged the construction of motorable roads leading to sites with high footfall but little or no local population.

The court observed that increased road access to environmentally sensitive locations was making these areas more vulnerable to ecological degradation. It cited Chandratal Lake in Lahaul-Spiti district, Shikari Devi Mandir in Mandi district, and Churdhar Temple in Sirmaur district as examples where roads and increased tourist access raised environmental concerns.

The bench ordered registration of a PIL on the matter, halted forest clearances for new or tarred roads in such areas, and called for stricter monitoring of waste and camping at these sites.