Lok Sabha Question No. 3718 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2026-03-16
Subject: Separate Environmental Policy for Hilly States
Ministry: ENVIRONMENT, FOREST AND CLIMATE CHANGE
Asked by: Shri Suresh Kumar Kashyap

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA

## MINISTRY OF ENVIRONMENT, FOREST AND CLIMATE CHANGE

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO.3718

TO BE ANSWERED ON 16.03.2026

## Separate Environmental Policy for Hilly States

3718. SHRI SURESH KUMAR KASHYAP:

Will the Minister of ENVIRONMENT, FOREST AND CLIMATE CHANGE be pleased to state:

- (a) whether  it is a fact that in  the  Himalayan  and  other  hilly  States,  especially  in environmentally  sensitive  areas  like  Himachal  Pradesh,  air,  water  and  noise  pollution  has reached  alarming  levels  during  the  past  few  years  due  to  uncontrolled  tourism  expansion, rampant  construction  activities,  excessive  vehicular  traffic  and  indiscriminate  disposal  of solid waste, plastic waste and sewage;
- (b) whether it is seriously affecting the health of local citizens and posing a long-term threat to the mountain ecosystem, water sources and biodiversity;
- (c) whether the Government is aware of this serious and continuously worsening situation;
- (d)  if  so,  the  details  of  the  concrete  and  punitive  steps  taken  by  the  Government  so  far  to control pollution along with their actual results;
- (e) whether the Government proposes to formulate a separate, strict and binding environmental policy for the hilly States; and
- (f) if so, the details thereof and if not, the reasons therefor?

## ANSWER

MINISTER  OF  STATE  IN  THE  MINISTRY  OF  ENVIRONMENT,  FOREST  AND CLIMATE CHANGE (SHRI KIRTI VARDHAN SINGH)

(a) to (f) The  Indian  Himalayan  Region  (IHR),  is  a  life-support  system  for  millions  of people  in  uplands  and  much  more  in  lowland  areas  of  the  country  and  acts  as  climate regulator for much of Asia. The ecosystem services emanating from the Himalayan regions contribute significantly for sustenance of most of the Indian sub-continent. This is accompanied  by  the  richness  and  uniqueness  of  bio-physical  and  socio-cultural  diversity available here.

Scientific  studies  and  field  assessments  carried  out  by  the  G.B.  Pant  National  Institute  of Himalayan  Environment  (GBPNIHE),  an  autonomous  institute  under  the  Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEFCC), indicate localized deterioration of air quality,  water  quality,  noise  levels  and  landscape  stability  in  certain  parts  of  the  Indian

Himalayan  Region  (IHR).  However,  potential  implications  of  this  on  public  health  and sustainability of mountain ecosystems needs to be explored further.

The Government has taken various regulatory and management measures to ensure sustainable development in the hilly States of IHR. A few initiatives are mentioned below:

-  Environmental  Sustainability  is  a  key  pillar  in  the  National  Strategy  for  Sustainable Tourism formulated by the Ministry of Tourism and circulated to the State Governments  and  UT  Administration.  In  line  with  the  strategy,  Travel  for  LiFE (Lifestyle For Environment) programme was initiated to encourage tourists and tourism businesses to adopt sustainable tourism practice.
-  Further,  the  Ministry  of  Tourism  through  its  central  sector  schemes  of 'Swadesh Darshan,'Pilgrimage Rejuvenation and Spiritual, Heritage Augmentation Drive (PRASHAD) and 'Assistance to Central Agencies for Tourism Infrastructure Development ' extends financial assistance to the State Governments  / UT Administrations  for  tourism  infrastructure  development  in  the  country.  The  central financial assistance is being extended according to guidelines and based on proposals / detailed  project  reports  received from  the  States and UT Governments. The Swadesh Darshan Scheme of the Ministry has been revamped as Swadesh Darshan 2.0 with the objective to develop sustainable and responsible tourism destinations following a tourist and destination centric approach.
-  The Central Government has framed a detailed procedure for assessment of environmental impact of development/construction projects and prescribed the same in the Environment Impact Assessment (EIA) Notification, 2006, as amended from time to  time.  All  Projects/Activities  mentioned  in  the Schedule  of  EIA  Notification,  2006, which  includes  variousconstruction  works,  are  appraised by  the sectoral  Expert Appraisal  Committee  where  they  are  duly  examined  from  the  point  of  view  of environmental  safeguards  to  ensure  that  the  projects  have  minimal  impact  on  the environment. It is only after ensuring that the projects pass the rigor of scrutiny from the point of view of environmental safeguards, the projects are granted Environmental Clearances after incorporating the necessary general and specific conditions.
-  In  order  to  preserve  the  fragile  eco-system  including  hilly  areas,  Ministry  stipulates various  environmental  safeguards/conditions  while  granting  ECs  to  all  construction projects. These includes landslide management plan, comprehensive study on vulnerability for the landslide, eco-fragility study of the area, implementing guidelines of Indian Road Congress (IRC), embankments along the slopes to restrict soil erosion, installation of Sewage Treatment Plants, compliance of Energy Conservation Building Code (ECBC), implementation of Catchment Area Treatment (CAT) Plan, Environmental  Management  Plan  (EMP),  implementation  of  Wildlife  Conservation Plan, Greenbelt Development and Forest Protection Plan, Stabilizationof muck disposal sites, real-time e-flow monitoring, early warning flood system andemergency preparedness plan for dam failure.
-  Further,  any  projects  located  in  the  Forest/Protected  Areas  are  permitted  to  the  user agency  only  after  obtaining  prior  clearance  from  the  Competent  Authority  under  the

Van (SanrakshanEvamSamvardhan) Adhiniyam, 1980 and National Board for Wildlife under the Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972.

-  National Clean Air Programme (NCAP) has been launched by Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEFCC) in January 2019 with an aim to improve air quality in 130 cities (non-attainment cities and Million Plus Cities) in 24 States by engaging all stakeholders. City Action Plans (CAPs) have been prepared by all 130 cities, including those in IHR.
-  The Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) has published guidelines for Environmental Management of Construction & Demolition (C & D) Wastes,Guidelines on DUST Mitigation Measures in Handling Construction Material & C&D Wastes, etc. with a view to ensure proper disposal of such wastes.
-  The  Government  of  India  has  further  issued  National  Urban  Transport  Policy,  2006, Metro Rail policy 2017, Transit Oriented  Development (ToD) policy  2017 and other policy  guidelines  for  planning  and  execution  of  sustainable  transport  system  by respective  State/UTs.  Under  PM-eBusSewa  Scheme,  10,000  air-conditioned  e-buses have been sanctioned for 116 cities across 26 States/UTs, including 690 buses for Hilly and north eastern regions, along with central assistance for development of associated infrastructure.
-  Further,  the  G.B.  Pant  National  Institute  of  Himalayan  Environment  (GBPNIHE), Almora  under  MoEFCC  is  a  focal  agency  to  advance  scientific  knowledge  and  to evolve  integrated  management  strategies  for  conservation  of  biodiversity  and  natural resources  in  the  IHR.  The  Institute  has  developed  several  policy  documents  and technical guidelines containing strategic recommendations for environmentally sustainable  development  of  the  IHR.  These  include  policy  inputs  on  governance  of Himalayan  ecosystems,  sustainable  tourism,  carrying  capacity  assessment,  climate change  adaptation,  disaster  risk  reduction,  natural  resource  management  and  regionspecific development planning.

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