Restrictions on access to Rohtang Pass in Himachal Pradesh will continue as the National Green Tribunal (NGT) today refused to stay the operation of its earlier direction limiting the entry of diesel and petrol tourist vehicles to 1,000 a day.
A bench headed by NGT Chairperson Justice Swatanter Kumar refused to relax its May 5 order which had put a cap on number of vehicles daily passing through Rohtang Pass which links Kullu Valley to Lahaul and Spiti, to 1000 vehicles (600 petrol while 400 would be diesel).
The directions came while hearing a plea of Him-Aanchal Taxi Operators Union through senior advocate Vibha Dutt Makhija, after the Supreme Court refused to provide them relief while asking them to approach NGT for their grievances.
"What efforts your association has taken up except creating halla (hue and cry). State government has not moved an inch to restore the environment.
"Himachal Pradesh is one of the best states in our country. It has got tremendous tourism potential. The state government has ruined the situation. 18 hydro projects in one state, what will happen to the state. What will you do with the electricity produced if there is no environment.
"You cannot finish Rohtang like this. You cannot ruin nature. Can you restore the glacier which is reducing by one metre per year," the bench said.
The Tribunal directed the Ministry of Environment and Forests (MoEF) and the Himachal government to sit together and work out a feasible solution to the problem.
It also asked the taxi operators to file suggestions for permitting greater number of taxis through Rohtang Pass in proportion to the number of tourists.
Expressing concern at the rapid pace of degradation of environment in Himachal, the bench said, "have you seen what has happened to Kufri. In Kufri we used to have skiing all the winters, but today there is hardly any ice visible there. This will what you will do to Rohtang, then you will build a nice government office there".
During the hearing, the counsel for Himachal Pradesh government said the state is worried about the environment and health of the people and it was complying with the NGT's directions.
