Shimla, June 20 -- The Himachal Pradesh High Court has expressed serious concern over the state government's slow pace in implementing key environmental and urban planning reforms mandated more than three years ago, observing that authorities appeared to have "woken up from their slumber" only after recent judicial interventions.

Hearing a batch of public interest litigations led by Kusum Bali vs State of Himachal Pradesh, a Division Bench comprising Chief Justice GS Sandhawalia and Justice Bipin C Negi reviewed the status of compliance with its January 2023 directions aimed at regulating hill cutting, safeguarding environmentally sensitive areas, and improving urban development planning across the state.

During the proceedings, the cou...