Despite rain disaster, Himachal Pradesh opens Shimla green belts for fresh constructions

Pratibha Chauhan

Shimla, October 11

In a surprise decision coming about two months after Shimla witnessed unprecedented rain-triggered devastation, the Himachal Pradesh Cabinet today paved the way for new constructions in certain pockets of the 17 sacrosanct green belts in the state capital where a complete ban on building activity was enforced in December 2000.

Banned in 2000

• Constructions in 17 green belts, seen as Shimla ‘lungs’, were banned in 2000
• Ban was imposed to save deodar forests in the belts, spread over 414.36 hectares
• Shimla lost about 1,000 of its majestic deodar trees in the recent rain disaster

The decision to allow constructions for residential purpose after a gap of 23 years could come in for severe criticism as these belts have served as the “lungs” of the town. The 17 green belts are spread over 414.36 hectares and the constructions were barred to save the deodar forests. In the aftermath of the recent torrential rain, Shimla lost about 1,000 majestic deodar trees while several buildings collapsed. The Cabinet decided to amend the Shimla Development Plan (SDP) to allow new constructions in the green belt area lying above the road from Navbahar to Ram Chandra Chowk to Machhiwali Kothi to Christ Church to Lakkar Bazar to IGMC to Sanjauli Chowk till Navbahar.

Though the constructions were to be allowed only on land where there were no trees, the entire area that has been thrown open was already heavily burdened with buildings and had the most pristine deodar forests, which could face threat, said a green activist. The decision was contrary to the view of experts who had suggested remedial measures to save the drying conifers, the activist said. Having received Supreme Court’s nod on May 3 to notify the SDP, the Cabinet gave its nod to the document on June 19. However, the SC had ordered that the notified SDP should be kept on hold till all objections were addressed. The state government, by way of the SDP, also known as “Vision 2041”, had proposed to throw open the green belts for construction activity and also to allow new constructions in congested and thickly populated core areas, which the NGT had prohibited in December 2017.