Kasol waste crisis: HC pulls up State, seeks Scientific waste disposal roadmap
Photo used for indicative purpose only. Source internet
Shimla, Nov 14,
The Himachal Pradesh High Court has sharpened its scrutiny of the long-standing garbage crisis in Kasol, remarking that the State must now demonstrate results on the ground rather than rely on “status updates” and “procedural progress” in the ongoing suo motu PIL on waste mismanagement in the Parvati Valley.
In its order dated November 12, the Bench of Chief Justice G.S. Sandhawalia and Justice Jiya Lal Bhardwaj recorded that despite continuous monitoring since June, the administration had struggled to present a credible, science-based waste-management framework for the tourist-dense region. The court, however, acknowledged that certain steps had finally moved beyond paperwork.
According to the latest report placed before the Bench, the district administration has initiated the process for diverting 0.1982 hectare of forest land—a critical requirement for setting up a Solid Waste Management (SWM) site for Kasol. The Rural Development Department, the court was informed, has completed the proposal required under the Forest Conservation Act, enabling the project to advance to the next stage.
Construction has meanwhile begun on two key facilities:
- a Solid Waste Management Plant, and
- a Material Recovery Facility (MRF),
both of which are expected to be completed within six months. Officials stated that they are exploring corporate social responsibility avenues to secure additional funding to prevent further delays.
The High Court also noted compliance on one of the concerns that first triggered judicial intervention: the dumping of plastic and food waste along the nallah in Kasol. According to submissions, SADA Manikaran has cleared the previously accumulated garbage, which had formed the basis of the initial media report that prompted the court to take suo motu cognisance on June 19.
The Bench has now cautioned that once the MRF becomes functional, every stage of waste processing must adhere strictly to the Solid Waste Management Rules, 2018, signalling that the court will no longer accept ad-hoc or informal disposal practices that have long plagued the region.
At the time the matter was initiated, notices had been issued to the State, the Himachal Pradesh Pollution Control Board, and subsequently to the Gram Panchayat Kasol as well as the Directorate of Panchayati Raj to ensure accountability at every administrative tier.
With the State reporting forward movement on land diversion and infrastructure creation, the court has—for the moment—held back from issuing coercive measures over pending compliance affidavits. The matter will now be reviewed on March 2, 2026, when the Bench will assess whether the promised shift to scientific waste processing has actually translated into operational change.
The suo motu PIL remains under close watch, with the High Court signalling that the ecological sensitivity of Kasol leaves little room for further administrative inertia.
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