Overview

• A bench of Justices Vikram Nath and Sandeep Mehta advanced a suo motu public interest case on Himachal Pradesh’s ecological conditions.
• The court directed its registry to register a writ petition in public interest and asked the state to outline its action plan in a detailed reply.
• In an affidavit, the Himachal Pradesh government admitted shortcomings, proposed a Core Group of officials, scientists and community representatives, and requested at least six months to prepare a comprehensive roadmap.
• The bench identified hydropower projects, four‑lane roads, deforestation and multi‑storey construction as key stressors and cautioned that uncontrolled tourism is straining the environment.
• The state’s filing cited rising temperatures, retreating glaciers and unusually intense 2025 monsoon rains that caused loss of life and widespread damage, while asserting it is not a non‑compliant state.