Environment and ecology are deeply correlated with state and citizens. State and citizens need to maintain balance between environment, ecology and development. Whenever and wherever there is imbalance, the result is disaster, calamity, loss of life and property. Palampur a town nestled under the shadow of mighty Dhauladhars is slowly itching towards the imbalance. Town became my permanent home once I bid adieu to Border Security Force in 2018. I felt blessed to have chosen this beautiful town as my second home, first home being place of my birth. I felt above the top and contented. All those I spoke, appreciated my decision to settle in Palampur, considering its serene surroundings nestled with pine and deodar trees and tea gardens adding extra glamour to its natural beauty. The whistling and whispering sound of Neugal waters just adjacent further added to serenity and mental peace.
That was 2018 and now it is 2025. Municipal council then administered small chunk of Palampur. Majority areas were under panchayat administration. Palampur became Municipal Corporation in December 2020. Then Health Minister Vipin Parmar dubbed declaration of Palampur as Municipal Corporation as major achievement. Transformation of town from municipal council to corporation was welcomed by social organisations, NGOs, resident welfare associations. All expected new nomenclature to usher in innovative and path breaking, planned development of town adding more serenity to the soul of Palampur. Has it happened, is million-dollar question, which every Palampurian need to ask him or herself?
What ails Palampur’s development priorities? What worries all right-thinking citizens of Palampur? What changed between 2018 and 2025? It is the concrete colonization of Palampur, deforestation and reducing green cover, choking and narrowing roads, no space for pedestrians, garbage littered kuhls, roadside drains and jungles, occupation of Bhiral and Mol khuds converting them into Nullah inside town. At many places, Kuhls are inside houses and sewerage water at many places may be seeping into kuhls. NGOs like PALAMPUR WELFARE AND ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION FORUM (PWEPF) discuss in their usual interactions, what is choking heart and lungs of Palampur. What needs to be done to restore the old serenity of Palampur?
In the last about five years, after formation of Municipal Corporation, it looks like that haphazard, unscientific and unplanned construction has become a norm in Palampur. Buildings have sprung up on roadsides disregarding civic sense norms like traffic flow, pedestrian convenience and disaster management. Even buildings have sprung up all along khud banks or very near to khuds. A mere glance stirs conscience of right thinking citizens, forces one to think, how such haphazard construction been permitted along khud banks and in some cases in khud surface. The hills of Palampur like rest of Himachal are fragile. Indiscriminate cutting of hills for construction is an invitation to future catastrophe.
The constructions, which have sprung up in Palampur and which seem odd and bizarre from civic sense angle and not in conformity with environmental and ecological balance norms, now, cannot be undone. Need is for administration and authorities to draw lessons from such imbalanced development and not allow any future construction and cutting of hills which disturbs ecological and environmental balance and not succumb to any extraneous pressure while granting permissions and approvals. The words of Sh Ravinder Sood in an article in “The Tribune” dated 03 August 25, sound true that Palampur is at cross roads. It is a paradise in peril amid growing environmental strain. He states that Palampur now finds itself on the brink of ecological crisis, caught in the grip of growing man nature conflict”. Indiscriminate human exploitation of hills in Palampur is pushing the town to the brink of environmental disaster. Construction of seven storey towers in Palampur go against all norms of construction in hills.
Himachal Pradesh is witnessing nature’s fury from last three years with floods, landslides, and cloudbursts during monsoons becoming routine causing human and material devastation. Chief Minister of Himachal Pradesh is on record saying that no government institutions would be constructed at least 150 metres away from rivers and nullahs and other water bodies to prevent damage in the vent of disaster. There is need for government to enforce strict norms for private construction within municipal limits and on river, nullah and khud banks considering recurring threat of floods during monsoons.
What need to be done to restore old serenity of Palampur and unchoke its lungs? Local municipal authorities need to lay down and enforce strict approval norms for construction of buildings both government and private. Make construction norms more stringent for commercial complexes and buildings. Carry an infrastructure audit of all buildings constructed along khud banks to know if these were constructed after due approvals and permission. How such permissions were granted. Accountability be fixed where permissions given flouting common sense norms. Due diligence be taken in permitting new constructions and all green spaces be declared as green zones prohibiting any further construction. This is required to prevent further haphazard construction, prevent calamities, and restore old serenity of Palampur.
It is not that all is lost. The enlightened citizens of Palampur and many of NGOs are seized of grave ecological crisis staring at Palampur. There is urgent need to take corrective steps. Environment protection and planned scientific development of Palampur need to be made a citizens movement. Unless citizens realise the perils of unplanned, unscientific development and force accountability upon local authorities, not much will change on ground. The positive aspect in all this is never say die spirit and approachable persona of local public representative Sh Ashish Butail, MLA who is energetic and well versed with problems of Palampur and is working in collaboration with locals to improve the civic environment of Palampur.
Palampur is staring at concrete colonization with deforestation and occupation of khuds and green spaces becoming a norm. Majority realises and is aware of dangers of unplanned development but stay silent waiting for someone else to speak. There is a saying water and nature will find its way if obstructed simply pushing obstructions into oblivion. So dear Palampurians make environment protection a people’s movement, rise and speak against concrete colonization of your beloved town before it is too late.
Rattan Chand Sharma retired from the Border Security Force as a Commandant. A regular contributor to publications like Outlook, Deccan Herald, India Sentinels, Force Magazine, Chanakya Forum, Saveratimes, Seema Sanghosh, he writes mainly about defence and security personnel issues.
