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Taking cognisance of widespread ecological damage caused by unscientific disposal of muck across Himachal Pradesh, Governor Shiv Pratap Shukla has given his assent for the constitution of a seven-member sub-committee headed by the secretary, Public Works Department (PWD), to examine and address the issue of illegal muck dumping in the state.
The decision comes in the wake of repeated incidents of hill slope failures, blocked rivulets, and flash floods during the monsoon season, which experts and environmentalists have linked to haphazard dumping of construction debris and excavation waste from road, tunnel, and hydroelectric projects.
The sub-committee, constituted by Chief Secretary Sanjay Gupta, will have Director, Environment Science Technology and Climate Change (ESTCC), Director Rural Development, Director Urban Development, Engineer-in-chief Jal Shakti Department, Engineer-in-chief Himachal Pradesh PWD and a Nodal Officer of the Himachal Forest Department as its members.
The order states, “Governor Himachal Pradesh is pleased to constitute a sub-committee to look into the issue of muck dumping and to suggest scientific measures for dumping the muck in such a manner that it does not lead to disaster.”
A senior officer said that the sub-committee will study the extent of illegal muck disposal, identify vulnerable areas, and recommend both preventive and remedial measures to mitigate the problem. “The panel will also suggest a framework for stricter monitoring and accountability mechanisms for contractors and executing agencies involved in infrastructure projects. Currently, there are more than eight serious matters pertaining to illegal muck dumping in Sirmour adjoining the Shillai-Paonta Sahib national highway; Solan district adjoining the Kalka-Shimla highway; in Kullu district adjoining Mandi-Manali national highway and others pending in the National Green Tribunal. The panel will also look into these matters.”
Experts have long warned that unchecked muck dumping into ravines, seasonal nullahs, and forested hill slopes have severely disturbed the fragile Himalayan ecosystem. “Improper muck management is one of the main reasons behind landslides and flooding during monsoons in Himachal. Natural drainage channels get blocked, leading to waterlogging and sudden surges downstream,” said an environmental expert based in Shimla.
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