At least Rs 5 lakh fine for damaging forest area or hills in Himachal Pradesh: NGT

SHIMLA: Concerned with the depleting green cover, the National Green Tribunal (NGT) on Thursday banned new construction in any part of 'green, forest and core areas' in Himachal Pradesh.

Any person found damaging forest area or hills without permission would be liable to pay fine not less than Rs 5 lakh, the NGT order said.

The green tribunal also ordered no construction would be permitted within three metres of the end of the national highways in the entire hill state.

A bench headed by NGT Chairperson Justice Swatanter Kumar restrained the Himachal Pradesh government and its departments from cutting hills and forests without prior submission of application for sanctioning of plans for construction.

It also reiterated its earlier order banning use of plastic bags in Shimla and asked the authorities to ensure that no such material is "used, stored and sold" by the shopkeepers.

In Himachal Pradesh during 2016-17, there were 1,545 forest fires which affected 13,069 hectare causing loss of Rs 1.53 crore, whereas, in 2015-16, there were 672 fire incidents which caused harm in 5,749.95 hectare area causing loss of Rs 1.34 crore.