Kullu: The National Green Tribunal (NGT) has directed the Himachal Pradesh govt to place on record whether it had taken any decision on determining the carrying capacity of Koksar in Lahaul Spiti district and the nearby hill stations, including Manali and Solang Valley in Kullu district, amid concerns over the environmental pressure on these tourist destinations.In a recent order regarding an ongoing case concerning pollution in Koksar, NGT chairperson Prakash Shrivastava ordered the state govt to file a reply within six weeks.The directions follow a communication sent by the Himachal Pradesh State Pollution Control Board (HPSPCB) member secretary to the state chief secretary on Oct 8, 2024, seeking a decision on determining the carrying capacity of these destinations to regulate tourist footfall.In his letter, the member secretary also asked the chief secretary to involve the concerned tourism department and the Special Area Development Authority (SADA) to carry out the survey.The Pollution Control Board’s recommendation followed directions issued by the NGT on solving the problem of littering and garbage disposal in the Koksar and Atal Tunnel areas, which have seen a massive increase in tourists in recent years.Meanwhile, in a status report submitted to the NGT on Oct 3, 2026, the Special Area Development Authority (SADA), Keylong, claimed to have removed 280 metric tonnes of accumulated waste from Shakas and Billing nullahs near Keylong in Lahaul Spiti during a cleanliness and ecological restoration campaign conducted between March 30 and May 12 this year.The report stated that legacy waste was removed and transported for scientific disposal. It also reported installing six CCTV cameras — four at Shakas Nullah and two at Billing Nullah — to strengthen surveillance and prevent fresh dumping by tourists as well as locals.The report stated that SADA’s material recovery facility at Koksar processed approximately 34.78 metric tonnes of solid waste between April and Aug 2026. It also claimed that this facility was not causing pollution or adversely affecting the water quality of the Chandra river.The material recovery facility at Billing was also reported to be fully operational, although it remains closed during winter when a substantial proportion of the local population migrates from Keylong to Kullu, resulting in a reduction in waste generation and collection, according to SADA.Door-to-door waste collection and source segregation are operational in four gram panchayats under SADA’s jurisdiction. The authority said it planned to expand the collection system, while acknowledging that litter continued to be found at some roadside locations and along nullahs, which it attributed to indiscriminate dumping by tourists and commuters.The NGT order follows a petition filed by a Noida-based NGO that raised concerns over the lack of proper waste management in the eco-sensitive and fragile Koksar region amid increased tourist footfall in the district.Located at an altitude of 3,140 metres near the Atal Tunnel, Koksar is a popular tourist destination. This small village witnessed a surge in visitors, especially after the opening of the Atal Tunnel in 2020, which has enabled traffic to reach Koksar and other areas of Lahaul Spiti almost year-round.The next hearing in the case is scheduled to be held on Jan 20, 2027.
