Fragile Dhauladhar slopes face threat of unchecked construction

The state government, so far, has failed to regulate the large-scale construction activities under way in the eco-fragile zone of the Dhauladhar hills in the Kangra valley. It may be recalled that over a dozen power projects have come up on four major rivers — the Neugal, Binwa, Baner and Gajj — originating from the Dhauladhar hills in the past fifteen years. The Supreme Court has also expressed concern over unregulated growth in the hill state, yet the state government has initiated no efforts to streamline construction activities.

Power companies have virtually wreaked havoc on nature and disturbed the eco-fragile system of the Dhauladhar ranges, indulging in reckless hill-cutting, rock blasting, tunnel execution and the dumping of muck and debris into local rivers.

A recent study cond