Shimla, Oct 16 The National Green Tribunal has taken serious note of the principal secretary, town and country planning, Himachal Pradesh, for failing to appear virtually as directed for proceedings on the state's monsoon disaster and alleged environmental violations.
The tribunal directed the chief secretary (CS), Himachal Pradesh, to ensure the principal secretary (PS) appears virtually at the next hearing.
The tribunal passed the orders on Tuesday, and a copy of the detailed order became available on Friday.
The bench, comprising Justice Prakash Shrivastava, chairperson, and Dr Afroz Ahmad, expert member, was hearing an original application in connection with 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".
In its August 4, 2026 order, the tribunal in New Delhi noted that no one had appeared on behalf of certain senior officials of the HP government, including the CS, the PS, and the senior official responsible for forests and environment. Their absence had prevented effective proceedings on that date.
Instead of directing the CS to appear in person, the tribunal directed the PS to appear virtually on October 13, 2026. The tribunal also noted that no application had been filed on his behalf explaining any difficulty in attending the proceedings.
Observing apparent non-compliance with its earlier order, the bench considered it necessary to issue further directions to ensure compliance. The bench further clarified that if the PS fails to appear, the CS will have to appear virtually to assist the tribunal.
The next hearing will be held on January 22, 2027.
