Shimla, May 27
Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu on Wednesday said preserving the state’s clean air and water is a shared responsibility, as he stressed the need for sustainable urban development in Shimla amid rapid expansion. Speaking at the release of the book City Limits – The Crisis of Urbanisation, edited by former Shimla deputy mayor Tikender Panwar, Sukhu said the hill town had undergone significant transformation over the years, with forested areas increasingly replaced by buildings.
The chief minister said the state government was investing in major infrastructure projects, including a Rs 145 crore underground duct system to remove overhead wires, a Rs 600 crore modern complex at the Sabzi Mandi area and a proposed underpass near the Lift area.
He added that an Rs 800 crore water supply scheme aimed at ensuring round-the-clock water access in Shimla was under way, while land acquisition efforts were continuing to widen Circular Road and expand notified green zones. Sukhu also announced plans for new townships, including Him-Chandigarh, Him-Panchkula and an Aero City in Kangra district, while emphasising the importance of balancing development with environmental protection.
Referring to rising incidents of cloudbursts, the chief minister said the phenomenon was being scientifically studied and warned that such extreme weather events could increasingly affect other Himalayan and northeastern states. He said he had raised the issue with Union Home Minister Amit Shah, cautioning that climate-linked disasters may intensify beyond Himachal Pradesh in the coming years.
