SHIMLA:
The battle to save Himachal’s forests has gathered fresh steam.
Pahari Samaj Paryavaran Kavach (PSPK), an NGO spearheaded by Maj Gen Atul Kaushik (Retd), has moved the Himachal Pradesh High Court seeking to be impleaded as a party in the ongoing PIL over large-scale environmental violations.
The PIL, originally filed by Vijayendra Pal Singh and local residents, exposes rampant illegal deforestation, unauthorized road cutting, illicit tree felling, timber smuggling and unchecked mining in Shimla Rural’s Gram Panchayat Himri.
Petitioners allege a deep nexus between officials and the forest mafia, which has allowed the loot of green wealth to continue despite repeated complaints.
“Protecting forests is not just about trees, it’s about safeguarding the very soul of Himachal.
For too long, these violations have gone unchecked and local communities have suffered.
By joining this PIL, we want to make sure the voices of people and the environment are heard in court,” said Maj Gen Kaushik, chairman of PSPK.
Earlier this year, petitioners had to rush to the Supreme Court to halt the felling of 875 trees for the Himri-Nallah road project.
Yet, reports of timber smuggling and forged clearances continue to pile up, with little action from the state vigilance wing.
With PSPK’s intervention, the case is set to gain more weight, as the NGO has long been at the forefront of defending Himachal’s eco-fragile zones.
Environmentalists believe its involvement could prove a turning point in the fight to save the state’s rapidly depleting forests.
#SaveHimachalForests | #EcoJustice | #StopTimberMafia | #GreenHimachal
