Ponies and horses damaging green forest in Kufri

The joint panel of NGT found that horses and ponies engaged in the Tourist resort Kufri have caused damage to the lush green forest affecting ecology and regeneration of new trees.

In an order passed on May 25 by the NGT bench comprising of Judicial member Sudhir Agarwal and Environment member Dr. A. Senthil Vel said that  Committee has found several violations causing damage to the environment which includes the degradation of natural vegetation. 

It has been observed that more than a thousand horses and ponies are employed in the small area which is much beyond the carrying capacity of the area. Besides, solid waste management is also not scientific and it is also causing huge pollution in the area.

The report submitted to NGT by the panel concluded that it is true that the field data collected point to a variety of probable impacts on the natural vegetation, resulting from tourism activity at Kufri. 

Mule or horse trails have many impacts on vegetation and soil that include damage to native vegetation, soil erosion, compaction, exposure of roots, etc. Plant damage includes a reduction in vegetation height and biomass, changes in species composition, and the spread of exotic weeds and plant pathogens.

However, the livelihood of thousands of people located in the Gram Panchayat Kufri Shawah, Nala, Makhrol, Tayia, etc. depends upon the horses and other tourism-related activities in Kufri.

 The horse riding activity being carried out on a commercial scale involving 1029 horses/ponies need to be regulated as per the guidelines of MoEF CC as the area of operation is a Reserve forest and no such FCA Clearance has been sought in this regard.

 Further, the role of the Forest department in checking/managing the affairs has been found almost negligible thus the same is to be carried out under the supervision of the Forest department. Also, registration of new horses may be restricted by SADA Kufri till the adjoining forest area of the mule path is revived by the forest department. report added.

Probing the fact-finding in the matter panel said that  Patwari, Mundaghat has prepared the revenue map as per which the total length of the mule path is 1087 meters and width 6 meters. 

Further, there are 1029 no. of horses registered with SADA in the Kufri area. The people located in the surrounding Gram Panchayat of Kufri Shawah, Nala, Makhrol, Tayia, etc. earn their livelihood from these horses.

Out of the total one Km, approx. 800 mtrs. falls under the administrative control of Theog Forest Division and the said area is a reserve forest (R4 Teer Mahsu compartment 1) whereas, the rest of the area is approx. 200 meters is under the possession of the Central Potato Research Institute. 

Kufri is located at an elevation of 2,720 meters. and is known for good snowfall during the months of December to February, the best time to visit Kufri is during summer ( April- June). 

The area has lush green deodar forest with Shimla water catchment wildlife sanctuary on one side and Shimla Forest Division (Rural) on another side. 

The trails or paths in question lead to the highest point of Kufri called Mahasu Peak which is one of the major attractions of Kufri. 

Being located at the edge of a wildlife sanctuary the area is having prominent importance to deal with the management or supervision of horses operating in that area.

 It has been observed that horses or ponies are being parked at random sites in large numbers and non-supervision of the same leads to the entry of horses into nearby forest areas of forest division and Shimla wildlife catchment WLS which as per Wildlife Protection Act, 1972, Sec. 33A mandates the Chief Wildlife Warden to take all such measures as may be prescribed for immunization of communicable diseases of livestock kept in or within 5 km of a sanctuary.

The act also prohibits no person should take or causing to be taken or grazing any livestock in a sanctuary without getting it immunized. 

The unregulated horses or ponies are responsible for causing damage to the ecology not only of the prescribed trail or path but also responsible for the destruction of the green areas in and around the area in question.

 Further, it has been found that certain assets in the form of temporary shops, parking for vehicles, halting points for horses, ponies, and other related activities have been created and the legalities need to be verified. From field visits, it has been found that the path utilized for horse riding is poorly maintained and does not fit into the preview of equestrian trails as followed in developed countries.

Further huge no. of horses are in operation in the said area which is not only creating chaos among the visitors but also leading to fatal accidents on certain occasions.

Responding to the report complainant has stated that substance supports his stand and requested for acceptance and implementation of the report in substance.

The bench now lists this matter for further consideration on July 12, 2023, and directions Registry to furnished to all the parties to whom noticed have been issued by the NGT. 

All the Respondents are ordered to file their response on the report within one month by e-mail at judicial- ngt@gov.in preferably in the form of searchable PDF/ OCR Support PDF and not in the form of Image PDF.

Registering complaint said that Kufri was the first place in India to be developed for alpine skiing sport by the Britishers. The country’s first winter sports club was established here. 

This was because of lush deodar forest around made it possible for the atea to have lots of snowfall during winter months starting from late November till the end of February.

 This not only ensured adequate water supply and moisture required for the forest fauna in the area but also continuous recharging of many natural sources of water in the area. 

However, due to the callous attitude of State Authorities, the rising number of horses, and other local reasons, snowfall in the area is continuously declining for the last two decades. 

NGT constituted a joint panel comprising officials of the Forest Department, the minister of Environment, Forest, and climate change, the pollution control board, and the district magistrate to probe the complaint in the matter.

NGT on March 13 passed an order on the online Complaint filed by Mumbai-based citizens that Environment degradation is being done under the nose of the Forest Department and other authorities.