"All States In Himalayan Region Facing Existential Crisis": Supreme Court

The Supreme Court has made a crucial remark on the fragile Himalayan ecosystem in the wake of the monsoon mayhem. All states in the Himalayan region are facing a serious existential crisis, the top court said Tuesday, and posed several questions to the Himachal Pradesh government on its policies to regulate tourism, construction, and mining.

The remark follows devastating monsoons in the upper reaches of several hill stations. Several towns in Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand bore the brunt of the cloudbursts and landslides, impacting the lives of locals who depend on tourism to earn their livelihoods.

"This monsoon season has seen heavy, unprecedented rain causing havoc in the fragile ecosystem of Himachal Pradesh. The deluge that struck in various areas has caused widespread damage to life and property," the court said.

During the deluge, the court noted that a large number of houses, including permanent structures and temporary buildings, were washed away or swept under the destructive landslides. "Evidently, the state of Himachal Pradesh and, for that matter, all the states in the Himalayan Region are facing a serious existential crisis," it remarked.

The court then directed Himachal Pradesh to file comprehensive responses on a wide range of issues concerning its fragile ecology and environmental conditions.

The questions pertained to the zoning for seismic activities and landslides, forests and tree cover, compensatory afforestation, climate change policy, road data, hydroelectric and mining projects, tourism, and construction.

The state must furnish the details by the next hearing on October 28, 2025.

The court had earlier this month flagged the deadly landslides and floods, and also spoke about illegal tree-felling. Pointing to a video of timber logs floating in the floodwaters of Himachal Pradesh, the court has observed that there has been illegal felling of trees in the hills.