SHIMLA, June 22: A forest fire raging above the under-construction four-lane highway near Gusan village below Beolia-Mehli on the outskirts of Shimla has raised serious questions over the preparedness of agencies responsible for disaster management and forest protection.
The blaze, spotted on Saturday evening, continued to burn silently across the hillside overlooking the massive highway excavation works. Ironically, the incident comes barely days after government departments conducted elaborate mock drills and disaster preparedness exercises to showcase their readiness for emergencies.
The fire illuminated a disturbing Himalayan reality. Below, heavy machinery continued carving the mountain for road expansion, while above, flames consumed forest cover with little visible response from the authorities. Artificial lights spreading across the ridges added another layer to the unfolding ecological crisis.
CEO Pahari Samaj Paryavaran Kwach Welfare Foundation Maj Gen Atul Kaushik, SM VSM (Retd) says that the scene captures the Himalaya's growing contradiction—aggressive development on one side and increasing ecological fragility on the other.
Freshly cut slopes, expanding road networks, shrinking forests and rising human intervention are collectively placing unprecedented stress on mountain ecosystems, he adds.
"The question is no longer whether the Himalaya is changing. The question is how much change these mountains can absorb before resilience gives way to collapse," said Major General Atul Kaushik while sharing images of the burning hillside.
The incident has also exposed the gap between official claims and ground reality.
Residents questioned why neither the forest department, disaster management teams nor agencies linked with the four-lane project appeared to have mounted an immediate response while the fire remained visible from nearby settlements.
With forest fires becoming increasingly frequent across Himachal Pradesh, environmentalists warn that every such incident not only destroys biodiversity but also weakens already fragile mountain slopes vulnerable to erosion, landslides and extreme weather events.
As the flames flickered above the highway construction zone, they also cast a harsh light on an uncomfortable question: are authorities merely conducting mock exercises while the real Himalaya burns?
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