Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu on Friday, 5 June 2025, addressed a gathering at Ridge Maidan, Shimla, on the occasion of World Environment Day, calling for environmental conservation to be turned into a mass public movement. He also renewed the state's demand for central compensation for ecological services and issued a stern warning against drug traffickers.

Context

Speaking at the Ridge Maidan event, CM Sukhu declared: 'पर्यावरण संरक्षण को जन आंदोलन बनाने का आह्वान किया' ('I called for making environmental conservation a mass movement'). He underlined that clean water, pure air, forests, and rivers are the foundation of life, and their protection is a collective responsibility of all citizens.

At the event, CM Sukhu also presented the 'Paryavaran Utkrishthata Puraskar' (Environment Excellence Awards) for the year 2025-26 to institutions and individuals who have done outstanding work in environmental conservation. Winners of a mini marathon held as part of the celebrations were also felicitated.

Policy Backdrop

Himachal Pradesh, a Himalayan state with extensive forest cover, plays a critical role in supplying ecosystem services — including water regulation and carbon sequestration — to northern India. CM Sukhu stated that the state provides approximately Rs 90,000 crore worth of ecological services to the country annually, yet receives no compensation from the central government in return.

This demand is not new. Himachal Pradesh governments have raised the issue of a 'green bonus' — a fiscal transfer from the centre recognising the state's ecological contribution — in successive budget speeches and submissions to Finance Commissions since the early 2010s. The argument is that Himalayan states generate national public goods through forest conservation without adequate fiscal recognition in federal transfers.

Stakeholders and Impact

CM Sukhu used the platform to issue a sharp warning on the narcotics front, announcing that the state government has launched a strong campaign against chitta (heroin) and other drugs. He stated: 'नशे के अवैध कारोबार में संलिप्त किसी भी व्यक्ति को बख्शा नहीं जाएगा, चाहे वह कितना भी प्रभावशाली क्यों न हो' ('No person involved in the illegal drug trade will be spared, no matter how influential they may be'). He added that the chitta mafia would be 'ground to dust.'

The anti-drug drive directly concerns Himachal Pradesh's youth, who have been disproportionately affected by substance abuse networks operating across northern borders. Environmental institutions, civil society groups, and local communities who depend on the state's forests and rivers are the primary stakeholders in the ecological compensation debate.

What's Next

The 16th Finance Commission's deliberations on ecological compensation formulas will be closely watched by Himachal Pradesh and other Himalayan states seeking recognition for their forest conservation efforts. A favourable formula could set a precedent for green fiscal federalism in India.

On the narcotics front, the state government's anti-drug enforcement framework and any legislative measures expanding its scope will determine whether CM Sukhu's public warning translates into sustained institutional action against trafficking networks.