Indian Supreme Court is hearing a plea that seeks an assessment of the carrying capacity and master plans for the Indian Himalayan Region
RH Desk
August 24
The Supreme Court this week mooted constituting an expert committee for conducting a “complete and comprehensive” study on the carrying capacity of the Himalayan region.
A bench headed by India Chief Justice D Y Chandrachud was hearing a plea seeking an assessment of the carrying capacity and master plans for the Indian Himalayan Region spanning 13 states and union territories, local news gathering agency Press Trust of India reported.
The Himalayan region has witnessed an unplanned development over the last many years, which has caused devastation in recent times.
The petitioner’s counsel told the bench there was a need for a comprehensive study by expert institutions as the devastation was noticed almost every single day in the Himalayan region, the report said.
The plea is seeking an assessment of the carrying capacity and master plans for the Indian Himalayan Region spanning 13 states and union territories.
“So, we can appoint say three or four of these institutions which will nominate their representatives and we can ask them to carry out a complete and comprehensive study on carrying capacity within the Himalayan region,” the bench, also comprising Justices J B Pardiwala and Manoj Misra.
The petitioner’s counsel said a “carrying capacity template” was developed by the government in the past.
The plea has said due to “non-existent carrying/bearing capacity studies, grave geological hazards in the form of landslides, land subsidence, land cracking and sinking issues such as that in Joshimath are being witnessed and serious ecological and environmental depredation are taking place in the hills.”
“Almost all hill stations, pilgrimage places and other tourism destinations spread over the Dhauladhar Circuit, Satluj Circuit, Beas Circuit and Tribal Circuit in Himachal Pradesh also remain hugely burdened and are almost on the brink of collapse with no carrying capacities assessed for any of the places in the state,” it said.
