Himachal High Court Continues Ban on Forest Road Construction, Raises Concerns Over Environmental Violations
The Himachal Pradesh High Court has once again put a firm brake on construction and tarring activities on forest roads, making it clear that no such work will be allowed until further orders. The directive comes amid growing concerns over environmental damage and alleged violations of forest conservation laws in ecologically sensitive areas of the state.
A division bench comprising Chief Justice G.S. Sandhawalia and Justice Bipin C. Negi reaffirmed its earlier order while hearing a series of Public Interest Litigations (PILs) related to road construction in forest regions.
During the proceedings, the court was presented with details of 55 roads in the Nachan Forest Division of Mandi district’s Seraj Assembly constituency that were allegedly built without obtaining the mandatory forest clearances. According to submissions made before the court, many of these roads had already been constructed on the ground despite proposals for legal approval not having been received from the concerned agencies.
The developments have raised serious questions about adherence to the Himachal Pradesh Forest (Conservation) Act, 1980, and whether due procedures were followed before using forest land for infrastructure projects.
The court was also informed about alleged irregularities in permissions granted under the Forest Rights Act, 2006. Concerns were raised that some approvals appeared to have been issued improperly and may not have served either the interests of forest-dependent communities or the broader objective of environmental conservation.
Another key issue brought to the court’s attention was the construction of 16 helipads in the Seraj region. It was argued that such facilities within forest areas could potentially disturb wildlife and impact natural habitats, highlighting the need for a detailed assessment of their ecological consequences.
The bench also took note of concerns regarding the felling of large numbers of green trees for road construction projects in forest zones. Environmental experts have repeatedly warned that unchecked development in sensitive ecosystems can have long-term consequences for biodiversity, water resources and slope stability in the Himalayan region.
Reiterating its stand, the High Court ordered that the ban on forest road construction and surfacing work will remain in force until further directions are issued. The matter is now scheduled to come up for hearing again on 2 December, when the court will further examine the issues raised in the ongoing proceedings.
