NGT looks into proposal to declare higher Himalayas Eco-Sensitive Zone
Asks Union Ministry to review affidavits filed by Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand.
4 min read
The Tribunal's direction came as it took suo-moto cognisance of a report that appeared in Current Science under the title “Need to declare the Higher Himalaya an eco-sensitive zone” in October 2023.The National Green Tribunal (NGT) has taken up the matter concerning the declaration of the Higher Himalayas in Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand, as an eco-sensitive zone, aimed at preserving fragile ecosystems, mitigating disaster risks, and promoting sustainable development in the region, and directed the Ministry of Environment, Forests & Climate Change (MoEFCC) to review affidavits filed by both these states.
In a detailed order issued on September 1, the Tribunal, headed by Justice Prakash Shrivastava, Chairperson Dr A Senthil Vel and Expert Member Ishwar Singh, directed the MoEFCC to review the affidavits of Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand, wherein the states described certain efforts on their parts, and to submit its reply within four weeks and fixed the next date of hearing November 28.
The Tribunal’s direction came as it took suo-moto cognisance of a report that appeared in Current Science under the title “Need to declare the Higher Himalaya an eco-sensitive zone” in October 2023. The matter revolves around the need to protect ecologically vulnerable areas of Himachal and Uttarakhand, which are highly susceptible to natural disasters such as flash floods, landslides and glacial lake outburst floods.
In its order, the Tribunal mentioned the recommendations of a Joint Committee submitted on July 11, 2024 and the response of Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand. The Joint Committee submitted its comprehensive recommendations, calling for a multi-pronged approach to safeguard the Himalayan environment.
Key measures proposed include establishing early warning systems for abnormal weather events, river flow changes, and glacial melting; continuous monitoring of glaciers, rivers, lakes, forests, and mountain biodiversity; restricting large-scale construction projects such as dams, tunnels, and highways without thorough geological and technical assessments; regulating tourism to reduce pressure on fragile slopes and introducing eco-friendly infrastructure, better waste management, and strict curbs on single-use plastics.
Other recommendations were promoting afforestation with native species like oak to stabilise slopes and training local communities in disaster preparedness, and determining the carrying capacity of tourist destinations.
However, Himachal and Uttarakhand submitted their affidavits, detailing the steps taken in line with these recommendations.
The State of Himachal Pradesh, in its response dated May 24, 2025, outlined several initiatives under the Himachal Pradesh State Disaster Management Authority (HPSDMA).
Himachal has installed three Doppler weather radars at Shimla (Kufri), Chamba (Jot), and Mandi (Murari Devi) since 2021, with two more planned for Kinnaur and Lahaul-Spiti. These radars, combined with upcoming 48 Automatic Weather Stations (AWS), Rain Gauges (ARG), and Snow Gauges (ASG) across underserved blocks, will significantly enhance forecasting capability.
Further, Himachal Pradesh signed an MoU with the Indian Meteorological Department (IMD) in September 2024 for real-time weather information systems. Proposals have been sent to the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) for the mitigation of four critical pro-glacial lakes, with surveys completed for Parvati and Baspa lakes, modelling for Gepang Gath lake, and an upcoming survey of Satluj lake. In its affidavit, Himachal Pradesh claimed that it is also implementing the Himachal Pradesh Disaster Risk Reduction Programme (HPDRRP), launched in January 2025 with support from the French Development Agency (AFD). The five-year programme focuses on disaster risk management and climate adaptation, including multi-hazard early warning systems for landslides, flash floods, cloudbursts, and glacial lake outburst floods.The MoEF&CC informed the Tribunal that it has recently received affidavits from both States and sought four weeks to examine their submissions. The Tribunal allowed this request and listed the matter for the next hearing on November 28, 2025.
The NGT’s deliberations come amid increasing environmental concerns in the Himalayan states, where fragile ecosystems face mounting threats from climate change, unregulated tourism, and large-scale infrastructure projects. Both states have been struggling with the mounting loss of human lives due to the extreme weather events, including incessant rainfall, cloudbursts, etc., resulting in landslides, stone shooting and erosion of the hills. Experts believe declaring the Higher Himalayas as an eco-sensitive zone could be a critical step towards ensuring long-term ecological security and disaster resilience in Himachal Pradesh and adjoining regions.
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