The hills of Shimla are suffering more damage and this time it is the state’s Public Works Department (PWD) that is to blame.

Racing against time to build an approach road to an upcoming judicial complex, the PWD has damaged dozens of standing deodar and other trees, destroying a beautiful hillside at the town’s entry point, the Kacchi Ghati forest belt. The debris from the construction, stones and boulders are rolling down into the forest, burying new plantations and uprooting trees.

State’s Principal Secretary (PWD) Balram Sharma confirmed having knowledge about environmental damage because of the approach road. “I am looking into the issue. The problem is mainly due to dumping of debris, which is supposed to be lifted and transported to another site. Since the work is a time-bound job, the PWD did not get sufficient time to remove the debris,” he said.

Till five years back, the area used to be a facinating hill top with dense reserve forest before unregulated constructions began eating away this green patch.

Even as construction is yet to begin, the PWD engineers have already deployed heavy machines and earth-movers for building a new road to the site. Reports say there is no environment impact assessment (EIA) done so far and the environment management plan has also not been submitted to the nodal agencies.

Senior forest officials, when contacted, claimed that the PWD had taken some clearences for the road cuttings and also felling of trees for the project. But, that is not a real issue here. “It’s reckless dumping of debris down the hill slopes and damage to the trees for which no permission was taken, which is the real problem. We have ordered the PWD to stop the work,” said a top Indian Forest Service (IFS) officer.

The early monsoon rains have further contributed to the environmental havoc, washing the debris from the slopes down to the busy

National Highway, close to a congested passage.

Enquiries reveal that Chief Minister Prem Kumar Dhumal had conveyed his strong displeasure over the PWD’s failure to exercise due ecological safeguards in the construction.

Alarmed over the reports, Additional Chief Secretary (Forest) Avay Shukla has asked the Conservator of Forests (Shimla) to submit a detailed report to the government about extent of damage caused to the forest, beside legal or punitive action, if any, taken against the erring PWD officials.