The Supreme Court on Monday said it will pronounce its order on September 23 in a suo motu matter concerning the deteriorating ecological and environmental conditions in Himachal Pradesh.
A bench of Justices Vikram Nath and Sandeep Mehta, while hearing the case, told the lawyers representing the state, “List on September 23 for order. We will give you a brief order after summarising everything so that you can get specific instructions.”
During the proceedings, Himachal Pradesh’s advocate general and additional advocate general informed the bench that a detailed report had been filed by the state government. The report, according to senior advocate K Parmeshwar, who is assisting the court as amicus curiae, covered several aspects including the state’s tree cover.
The matter has been under close scrutiny of the apex court, which on July 28, through a different bench, had warned that the hill state might “vanish in thin air” if urgent corrective measures were not taken. The court had earlier noted that climate change was having a “visible and alarming impact” on Himachal Pradesh and that the ecological situation had deteriorated significantly.
The impending order is expected to lay down specific directions for the state to address its pressing environmental challenges.
