People carrying out construction scarring hills with material of dismantled buildings The green cover in the McLeodganj area of Dharamsala is being threatened by illegal dumping of solid waste along hill slopes. People carrying out construction are scarring the hills with the material of dismantled buildings. Many such constructions are coming up in tourist places of the McLeodganj and Bhagsunag area. Those carrying out construction are filling the waste in cement bags. The bags are carried in trucks on the 2-km road stretch between McLeodganj and Bhagsunag and dumped along the hillside. When asked, they say they have been directed by contractors to dump the material there. Experts are of the view that construction waste has the tendency to settle down. If it does, fresh undergrowth in the forest area cannot survive. It will scar the natural beauty and damage the ecology of the area. As per rules, it is the duty of the municipal council and the district administration to stop the spread of solid waste. A solid waste dumping site has been established in Dharamsala as per Supreme Court directions, which say solid waste generated from construction should be used as filler in low-lying areas where construction is to take place. Proper management is required to make it practical. The authorities have to keep a check on ongoing construction and solid waste being generated. People carrying out construction should be forced to deposit waste at places marked for the purpose. The waste can then be used by government departments during construction of roads or as filler in basements of buildings. Enquiries from various departments have revealed that no one has been fined or booked for depositing waste along the hills. When asked, the authorities concerned say that they have not received any complaint in the matter. It is surprising that the authorities are waiting for complaints from private persons to act. Private persons will complaint only if solid waste is dumped in their areas. It has generally been found that the town and country planning authorities limit themselves to issuing notices to offenders in case of illegal construction to save their skin in case of an inquiry. No action is taken to stop the practice.