In a detailed submission before the National Green Tribunal (NGT), the Himachal Pradesh Forest and Wildlife Department said that the 12-km-long Puruwala-Simbalbara road that cuts through the Simbalbara National Park in Sirmour district is the lifeline for tribals residing within the park.

The department argued that the closure of the road or a diversion would not be feasible and won’t be justified for the local community.

This comes after the NGT intervened into the expansion of the Puruwala–Simbalbara road and raised concerns about the project’s impact on the park’s rich biodiversity, including its population of Sambar deer and elephants, and the potential for forest degradation.

The applicant Sanjay Kumar of New Delhi argued in his application that the road is also being used for he

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