No effective remedy to counter fire: HC summons pollution control board

Himachal Pradesh High court summoned the Member Secretary of the State pollution control board after they took a suo-moto cognizance on a forest fire mishap recently in the town.

On Friday a Division bench of Justice Tarlok Singh Chauhan and Justice Virendra Singh directed the Member Secretary  of HPSPCB to appear before the court on 8th December.

The high court took cognizance of a Forest fire mishap that broke out at Tutikandi, outskirt of this capital town on May 2, 2022.

The PIL states that the forest fire had reached the orphanage centre or Balika Ashram Tutikandi, Shimla, and its inmates had to shift. 20 kids of 6 years of age were shifted to a hostel located at US Club, while 70 girls were shifted to the orphanage located in Mashobra.

It was after the mishap got highlighted in news with prominence, that the High Court took cognizance on the matter. During the course of hearing High Court had strongly reacted about damage caused by the mishap at Balika Ashram located in Tutikandi.  The reply submitted in the High Court, noted that inmates were shifted to safer location as they, especially, small kids were feeling difficulty in breathing due to mounting of heavy smoke in the orphanage.  However, infernos were doused down in time and loss to property and life was averted.

High Court expressed concern over the frequent damage caused to the environment by a number of forest fires cases every year. It observed that  effective remedial measures were not taken to avert such incidents.