The Himachal Pradesh High Court has questioned the proposed use of forest land for muck dumping near Dharamshala, after officials identified five forest sites among six locations under consideration for disposing of construction debris. The court has directed the Kangra administration and forest authorities to submit affidavits on non-forest alternatives before the next hearing on December 2.
A division bench comprising Chief Justice Gurmeet Singh Sandhawalia and Justice Bipin Chander Negi raised concerns during the hearing of a suo motu public interest litigation on rampant muck dumping in and around Dharamshala. The court observed that the forest department’s primary responsibility was to protect forest land from being used for non-forest purposes.
The bench questioned whether forest land could be identified or used for muck disposal at all, and whether the forest department could sign a decision recommending such use. The observations followed a joint inspection report identifying the six proposed sites, signed by the divisional forest officer and the joint commissioner of the Dharamshala municipal corporation.
Five of the six sites would require clearances under the Forest Rights Act and the Forest (Conservation) Act, according to the report placed before the court. The court also noted that there was no material on record showing that the authorities had made adequate efforts to locate suitable land belonging to other government departments in Kangra district.
Kangra deputy commissioner Hemraj Bairwa, who appeared through videoconferencing, told the court that he would file an affidavit listing available non-forest land and detailing the administration’s steps to identify suitable sites for muck disposal. The court also directed the chief conservator of forests in Dharamshala to file a supplementary reply addressing the proposed use of forest land.
The proceedings were initiated after a February 2025 news report highlighted plastic waste and construction debris polluting water channels, slopes and forests in Kangra district. The court had issued an order in March 2025 directing the state to report on designated dumping sites.
The matter has since faced repeated delays, with government departments seeking extensions to submit their responses. The court imposed fines over the delays, according to the report. The latest directions place responsibility on the district administration and forest department to establish whether legally compliant non-forest land is available before the proposed disposal arrangements are considered further.
The next hearing is scheduled for December 2, when the court is expected to examine the affidavits and the forest department’s supplementary response.
