Environment Policy Guidelines of Department of Science and Technology - Government of Himachal Pradesh (2010)

This document outlining the Environment Policy Guidelines of the Department of Science and Technology, Government of Himachal Pradesh has developed approaches compatible with mountain ecosystems and its unique aspects such as fragility, inaccessibility, marginality, diversity, climatic peculiarities, scattered population and small agricultural holdings. 

In the light of the above, the following problem areas have been identified -

• Construction of highways, massive buildings and big dams
• Extension of orchards into environmentally sensitive agricultural and forest lands
• Destruction of forest cover
• Deep channel cutting for minerals and open cast mining for building materials
• Pollution and garbage

The fragile environment of the Himalayas has seen developmental interventions, which are a replication of the development patterns of the plains. Himachal Pradesh has undergone transformation from subsistence centered agriculture to commercial horticulture based development. The developmental path adopted in the last thirty years has been a mixed success.

The objective is to develop sustainable development approaches in Himalayas, which take into account the special features of mountains - 

• The Government and public perspective must shift towards ecologically considerate development.
• Mindless exploitation of natural resources, which are not renewable, must be stopped.
• State needs to conserve resources and use technologies, which generate minimum waste.

Original document can be viewed here at the Department of Science and Technology website.