Supreme Court Issues Notice to Centre, States on Floods in Northern India

By A Staff Reporter

New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Thursday issued notices to the Centre and several state governments over the recent floods and heavy rains in northern India, particularly in Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Jammu and Kashmir, and Punjab. The court voiced serious concern about the scale of devastation and pointed to possible environmental violations in the affected regions.

During the hearing, the bench observed that the situation appeared “very serious,” citing videos showing large numbers of timber logs being washed down hillsides in Himachal Pradesh. The court remarked that such visuals indicated widespread illegal felling of trees, which could have worsened the impact of floods.

The petition before the court sought urgent intervention to address environmental degradation and disaster management lapses in the hill states. The bench directed the Centre and state authorities to file their responses, stressing the need for coordinated efforts to prevent further damage.

The Supreme Court noted that unchecked deforestation and unplanned construction in fragile hill ecosystems were contributing to recurring disasters. It underscored the importance of enforcing environmental safeguards, improving forest management, and ensuring strict monitoring of logging activities.