NGT warns Himachal Chief Secretary over Town Planning Secretary’s absence

Principal Secretary directed to appear virtually on January 22; Chief Secretary to appear if order is not followed

Shimla/New Delhi, Oct 16,

The National Green Tribunal (NGT) has directed the Chief Secretary of Himachal Pradesh to ensure the virtual appearance of the Principal Secretary, Town and Country Planning, at its next hearing after the officer failed to appear before the tribunal despite an earlier direction.

In an order dated October 13, 2026, the NGT’s Principal Bench, New Delhi, observed that the absence of the Principal Secretary, Town and Country Planning, amounted to the apparent non-compliance of its previous order.

The proceedings relate to an application registered on the basis of a news report published in The Hindu on November 25, 2023, titled “Deforestation, ill-planned construction and unscientific- illegal mining behind Himachal Pradesh’s monsoon catastrophe”. The matter concerns the alleged environmental factors behind the devastating monsoon events in Himachal Pradesh.

The tribunal, comprising Chairperson Justice Prakash Shrivastava and Expert Member Dr Afroz Ahmad, noted that during the previous proceedings on August 4, 2026, no one had appeared on behalf of the Chief Secretary, the Principal Secretary, Town and Country Planning, and the Additional Chief Secretary/Principal Secretary, Forest and Environment, among others. The absence of representation had prevented effective proceedings on that date.

Instead of directing the Chief Secretary to appear personally at that stage, the tribunal had ordered the Principal Secretary, Town and Country Planning, to join the subsequent hearing virtually.

However, the officer remained absent from the October 13 proceedings, and no application was filed on his behalf explaining any difficulty in appearing.

“Thus, there is apparent non-compliance of the order of the Tribunal,” the NGT observed.

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Taking note of the continued absence, the tribunal directed the Chief Secretary to ensure that the Principal Secretary, Town and Country Planning, appears virtually on the next date of hearing. It further ordered that, in the event of non-compliance, the Chief Secretary himself would have to appear virtually to assist the tribunal.

The tribunal directed that a copy of the order be forwarded to the Chief Secretary for necessary compliance.

The matter has been listed for further hearing on January 22, 2027.

The October 13 order does not record any final finding on the environmental allegations raised in the original application. The proceedings remain pending before the tribunal.

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