Shimla: The Himachal Pradesh High Court today directed the state authorities to remove all unauthorized food stalls and dhabas polluting forest areas beyond Mardhi on the Manali-Rohtang highway.
Hearing a petition taken up suo moto on the harm caused to Rohtang glacier due to pollution the bench of Chief Justice AM Khanwilkar and Justice RB Mishra directed the state to observe zero tolerance level with regard to pollution in forest areas beyond Mardhi.
The division bench directed the state authorities to ensure that all the unauthorized food stalls and dhabas there were removed forthwith in a time bound period.
The court asked the state authorities for providing substitute mobile vans to supply food and drinking items to the tourists, which responsibility should be taken by the HP Tourism department.
The tourism department and HP Tourism Corporation was granted time to evolve a comprehensive scheme for ensuring that littering taking place in forest area essentially due to the presence of unauthorized food stalls was stopped at the earliest.
Before posting the matter for 2 May, the court clarified that pendency of the petition or preparation of comprehensive scheme will not be a hurdle for the state authorities to immediately proceed against the unauthorized eateries in restricted and forest area in accordance with law.
Rohtang Pass happens to be one the most visited place by tourists in Himachal and the district administration has a difficult time in regulating traffic to the scenic spot.
It was only yesterday that Border Roads Organisation announced having cleared the high pass road of snow and permitting limited number of vehicles to pass through to Lahaul valley. The road would only be thrown open for public transport in May.
As Editor, Ravinder Makhaik leads a team of media professionals at Hill Post.
Spanning a career of over two decades in mass communication, as a Documentary Filmmaker, TV journalist, Print Media journalist and with Online & Social Media, he brings with him a vast experience. He lives in Shimla.
It looks, Governing authorities are failing in their day to day functions.Every other day courts of the country have to intervene even for petty works. A sorry state of affair. Thanks to Hon’ble Court for delivering such strong judgement. Rohtang and approach from Manali is really a dhaba road and so all leading highways to various stations in the state. Some times feel and think, Are we BhUKe ? Steps needed to streamline acts otherwise, we will loose this our mother Earth to garbage dustbin.
Very good decision by High Court and should be implemented at earliest. I had visited the Rohtang Pass but realy dispointed when saw lot of plastic water bottels,snacks rappers etc. Hope next time it’ll be free from littering.