The Supreme Court on Tuesday (October 27) took up a matter concerning ecological and environmental issues in Himachal Pradesh. It accepted the first report of the Central Empowered Committee (CEC), which covers compensatory afforestation, tourism, roads and hydroelectric projects.

A bench of Justices Vikram Nath, Sandeep Mehta and Aparesh Kumar Singh granted the Himachal Pradesh government two weeks’ time to file its response to the CEC’s recommendations.

The CEC’s interim report on four of the nine thematic areas it is examining in the state identifies serious shortcomings in environmental protection and recommends measures to address them.

In view of recurring ecological degradation and environmental concerns confronting Himachal Pradesh, the Supreme Court initiated suo motu proceedings on July 28, 2025.…