Shimla, June 25,
The Supreme Court of India has stayed the proposed felling of 875 trees for the Himri-Nala road project, which falls under the Shimla Rural Constituency. The stay was granted while hearing an intervention application filed by Vijayendra Pal Singh, a resident of Himri village, raising serious environmental and legal concerns over the project’s execution.
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The matter was taken up by a Division Bench headed by Chief Justice of India B.R. Gavai on June 23, 2025. The court directed that status quo be maintained in the matter until the next hearing, scheduled for July 16, 2025. In the meantime, the amicus curiae and counsel for the State have been asked to examine the applications and submit their responses. The Court has also directed the registry to provide copies of the intervention application to the Central Empowered Committee (CEC) to seek its views.
Petitioners have alleged a nexus between forest and mining mafias and certain government officials, claiming that over 17 kilometres of illegal roads have been constructed within Demarcated Protected Forest (DPF) areas. According to documentary evidence submitted in court, these constructions have taken place despite repeated complaints by local villagers. It has also been alleged that some of these roads were sanctioned under the Forest Rights Act (FRA), but without due environmental or legal clearances.
One of the petitioners alleged, “This area has become a den of illegal tree felling and mining, with forest authorities turning a blind eye.” He further claimed that forged documents and misrepresentation of facts have been reported to the vigilance department, but no action has been taken.
Major General Atul Kaushik, SM, VSM (Retd), representing the NGO Pahari Samaj Paryavaran Kawach, welcomed the Court’s order. He said, “The stay order is a crucial step toward preserving the ecological balance and ensuring accountability in the name of development.”
The petitioners clarified before the court that they are not against rural connectivity, but called for responsible development. They contended that alternative alignments exist that could reduce the project cost and the number of trees to be felled by over 80 percent.
The forests around Himri have previously come under scrutiny due to incidents of illegal maple felling and seizure of processed pine wood, yet action on these violations remains pending. This has heightened local resentment and mistrust toward the forest administration.
The Supreme Court’s order, while halting the tree felling, has brought attention to systemic issues in environmental governance and is seen as a significant victory for both environmental advocates and concerned villagers.
