New Delhi/Shimla, Oct 14,
The Principal Bench of the National Green Tribunal (NGT) in New Delhi today took suo moto (on its own motion) cognizance of serious environmental and social violations allegedly committed by the Radha Soami Satsang Beas (RSSB) in Paraur and surrounding villages of Kangra district, Himachal Pradesh. The Tribunal, comprising Justice Arun Kumar Tyagi (Judicial Member) and Dr. Afroz Ahmad (Expert Member), converted a letter petition sent by Seema Kumari, Pradhan of Gram Panchayat Ghaneta, and other residents.
The letter petition outlined “a very serious, multi-faceted and public interest related issue, which is related to the rapid and illegal expansion work being carried out by Radha Soami Satsang Beas (RSSB) Paraur in our area”. It asserted that the organisation’s activities were in “gross violation” of several Central Environmental Acts listed under Schedule-I of the NGT Act, 2010, including the Water Act, Forest (Conservation) Act, Air Act, and Environment Protection Act.
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The application detailed several key objections, including “Indiscriminate felling of forests”, with the organization allegedly cutting hundreds of local species like Ban, Kafal, and Fig without statutory permission, leading to a “deterioration in the air quality of our region, increase in soil erosion and degradation, and disruption of local rainfall patterns”. It further alleged the “damage to protected tea garden,” which is a “historic and state-level protected tea garden, which is the identity of the area and a source of employment, is being levelled and used for construction”.
A primary and “most dangerous situation” highlighted in the petition is the “Illegal construction in the floodplain of Tahal Khad,” an active natural water stream, which has “increased the risk of flooding during the rainy season”. The applicants provided evidence of “illegal dumping of debris, digging and destruction of riparian greenery in the floodplain of Tahal Khad (river)”. Additionally, the petition cited “lack of environmental clearance and EIA” for the construction work, and other “additional environmental and social violations,” such as the deliberate closure of a local irrigation canal (Kuhul) and the blocking of natural water sources, creating a “drinking water crisis”. The petition stressed that the situation directly affects the citizens’ “constitutional right… under the ambit of Article 21”.
In its Order, the Tribunal observed that “Prima facie the averments made in the application raise substantial questions relating to environment arising out of the implementation of the enactments specified in Schedule-I to the National Green Tribunal Act, 2010”.
In response, the NGT has issued notices to the State of Himachal Pradesh, the District Magistrate, Kangra, and the Himachal Pradesh Pollution Control Board (HPPCB), directing them to file their response within two months.
Crucially, the Tribunal has also constituted a Joint Committee comprising representatives from the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB), HPPCB, and the District Magistrate, Kangra. The committee is directed to meet within two weeks, conduct site visits, look into the applicant’s grievances, associate the applicant and the project proponent’s representative, “verify the factual position and take appropriate remedial action by following due course of law and submit report within two month”. The HPPCB will serve as the nodal agency.
The matter is scheduled to be heard next on December 18, 2025.
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