Mapping environmental conflicts in Himachal Pradesh

Himachal Pradesh is a Himalayan state in the North-West of India and is known for its good performance in social and economic development indicators in the country. A state where the government seems to have ‘delivered’ in areas of education, health and other basic services. The region is also celebrated for its landscape- as the […]

Photo Essay | The dirty picture

A photo essay published in The Hindu Business Line by Sumit Mahar member of Himdhara Environment Research and Action Collective An industrial zone in Himachal’s Solan district leaves a trail of pollution and environmental degradation Baddi. Barotiwala. Nalagarh. The first two names won’t ring a bell if your interest in Himachal Pradesh is purely touristic. […]

Photo Essay | On a slippery road

A photo essay published in Live Mint by Manshi Asher and Sumit Mahar members of Himdhara Environment Research and Action Collective Imtiaz Ali’s 2014 film Highway, shot in states like Kashmir and Himachal Pradesh (HP), showed the lead pair of Randeep Hooda and Alia Bhatt taking National Highway 5, the earlier NH 22, making their […]

Kinnaur’s Curse? : Economic and Political Weekly

An article published in Economic and Political Weekly by Manshi Asher, member of Himdhara Environment Research and Action Collective Kinnaur, one of Himachal Pradesh’s most ecologically fragile places, is under threat from widespread construction activity in hydroelectric power projects. Landslides have become a common occurrence threatening apple orchards as well as habitats in Kinnaur. A […]

Govt apathy fanning protests against hydro projects: The Indian Express

February 5, 2015 A panel of experts appointed by the Himachal Pradesh government has said that popular opposition to large hydel power projects on the Sutlej is being fanned by the establishment’s “indifference” to the problems of the people. The panel has rejected the conclusions of a report prepared earlier for the union government, which […]

Jaypee group seeks govt’s intervention : Tribune

Tribune News Service Shimla, January 23 Seeking intervention of the state government to ensure that there is no law and order problem arising out of the workers’ strike at the Karcham-Wangtoo and Baspa projects, Manoj Gaur, Executive Chairman of Jaypee Group, met CM Virbhadra Singh today. Even as the conciliation meetings held in the recent […]

PRESS NOTE 12th December 2014: People of Kinnaur challenge Satluj basin impact study as “biased” and “pro-hydro” : Panel silenced by questions raised at Public Consultation

On 8th and 9th December 2014, the Directorate of Energy organised Public Consultations in Rekong Peo and Pooh (Kinnaur District) on the Cumulative Environment Impact Assessment Study conducted for the Satluj River Basin. The study, which had the mandate to assess the over all cumulative impacts of the ongoing and proposed hydropower development in the […]

REPORT ON THE STATUS OF INDUSTRIAL POLLUTION IN BBN RELEASED ON WORLD ENVIRONMENT DAY

5 June 2014, On the occasion of World Environment Day, two groups, Him Parivesh and Himdhara Environment Research and Action Collective, released a Report  on Industrial Pollution in the BBN (Baddi barotiwala Nalagarh) Industrial Area. The report is a compilation of issues raised at a Public hearing organised two months ago, i.e on 5th April 2014 […]

BBN: After drawing flak, pollution control board devises strategy : The Tribune

Solan, April 15 The state Pollution Control Board is finally devising a strategy to deal with the situation in the state’s industrial hub of Baddi-Barotiwala-Nalagarh (BBN). The move comes in the aftermath of flak from NGOs citing lack of timely action to contain air pollution emanating from BBN. Various NGOs, including Him Dhara, Environment Research […]

Environment activists for moratorium in Kinnaur :Daily Post

Shimla Published on Saturday, 26 October 2013   Environment activists have asked the state government to declare Kinnaur a disaster affected area in view of the destruction caused by heavy rains and snow during the month of June this year. Appalled by the government apathy towards reckless and unplanned development in the tribal district, the […]