Mussoorie following Joshimath crisis? NGT notice to U’khand chief secy over ‘inaction’ on environmental risks

Dehradun: The National Green Tribunal (NGT) has issued a notice to Uttarakhand's chief secretary over "continued inaction" on environmental concerns in Mussoorie, despite the issue being flagged in the aftermath of the 2023 Joshimath crisis. The tribunal has directed the chief secretary to file a comprehensive affidavit within four weeks detailing steps taken to implement its earlier orders. It has also asked counsel for the Uttarakhand Pollution Control Board to submit a response.The tribunal took cognisance of the matter based on newspaper reports that drew a direct parallel between Mussoorie and Joshimath, where unchecked construction, excessive tourism pressure, and poor drainage triggered widespread land subsidence in 2023. The crisis forced hundreds of families to evacuate their homes, sparking a national debate on the sustainability of development in ecologically fragile Himalayan towns. Several buildings in Joshimath, including hotels and residential structures, developed deep cracks and parts of the town were subsequently declared "unsafe" for habitation.The reports warned that Mussoorie is showing early signs of stress, with unregulated construction and increasing infrastructure pressure on its sensitive slopes raising concerns of a potential repeat of such a disaster. Taking suo motu cognisance of these reports, the NGT had earlier directed the state govt to submit a comprehensive response outlining preventive and remedial measures.On March 24, the bench observed that despite its earlier directions, "no concrete action appeared to have been taken on the ground". It also examined a report submitted by the additional secretary and found that it "failed to adequately address the key issues flagged in the tribunal's May 8, 2025 order."In the previous order, the tribunal had directed the state to implement 19 specific action points, along with other remedial measures based on sound scientific principles, to ensure development in the fragile Himalayan region does not exceed its carrying capacity. It had also stressed fixing accountability and mandated submission of an action taken report within six months, noting that compliance remains "unclear".The matter is scheduled to be heard next on July 14.