The NGT order has cheered tourism stakeholders and residents in the Rohtang area. Earlier, the tribunal had banned all commercial activities in the Rohtang region.
Since July 6, 2015, no snow-scooters, paragliding, tyre-tube games and other activities have taken place in the eco-sensitive area. The ban had hit the locals hard, rendering thousands jobless. Manali MLA Gobind Singh Thakur said he had raised the issue in the Assembly saying he would file a special leave petition seeking relief for the residents. On July 16, 2015, the NGT had directed the state government to prepare and submit a relief and rehabilitation plan to resettle those hit by the ban that aimed at preventing any environmental degradation of the Rohtang region. The Kullu administration had reportedly submitted the plan to the state government on August 6, 2015. Puran Chand, president, Him-Aanchal Taxi Operators Union, Manali, said there were around 2,500 taxis in Manali and the drivers were hopeful of getting more relief from the Supreme Court in the next hearing scheduled for May 13. The Manali-Keylong road remains closed for about six months during winter due to heavy snowfall in Rohtang, the gateway to the Lahaul valley and a major tourist attraction. While the road was restored on April 6, the administration was not letting tourist vehicles go beyond the Gulaba barrier. Manali SDM Jyoti Rana said the tourist vehicles would be allowed after developing parking facilities in compliance with the NGT directions. It is learnt that vehicles will be allowed only after May 15 and online permits will be available to visit Rohtang. Local skiers, who earn a living by providing joyrides to tourists on the slopes of the Solang Nullah, and the local women, who give traditional dresses, snow boots and sticks on rent, had been demanding compensation. The residents lamented that while the government had failed to initiate development procedures as directed by the NGT, the administrative authorities were implementing directions that snatched the source of livelihood from a number of people.