Forest dept probe says no evidence of illegal felling of trees, CM orders CID to investigate

The fact finding probe was ordered by Principal Chief Conservator of Forests (PCCF) Sameer Rastogi on June 28 following an uproar after videos and photos photographs of the large amount of wood flushing down the river and floating in the Pandoh dam went viral on a social media platforms, raising public concern and prompting calls for investigation.

The probe was carried out by a committee headed by Conservator of Forests (CF), Kullu, Sandeep Sharma and comprising Divisional Forest Officers (DFOs) of Kullu, Mandi, and Seraj.

An official, privy to the probe carried out by the committee, said, “As per satellite images of June 25, approximately 20,000 hectares of catchment area in the Parvati Forest Division and GHNP were affected by the cloudbursts. Trees and other vegetation were uprooted along the Jiva Nala (rivulet) in GHNP, and along three other rivulets — Fancha Nala, Hurla Nala, and Pulia Nala — in the Parvati Forest Division. The two forest divisions share a common boundary. These four rivulets converge into the Garsa rivulet, which ultimately merges with the Beas River.”

In addition to the freshly uprooted trees, a significant quantity of dead wood was already lying in both forest divisions, particularly in GHNP, which is a protected area from where even the removal of dead trees is prohibited, the official added.

A senior IFS officer added, “The satellite imagery of the affected areas shows that the width of the four rivulets had increased to 30–35 meters. In the Parvati Forest Division, remains — such as stumps — of 350 to 400 trees washed away by the floodwaters were documented. We found no evidence supporting allegations of illegal felling of trees in either protected or non-protected areas. Samples of the accumulated wood and logs have been collected from Pandoh Dam. None bore marks of cutting tools such as axes, hand saws, or power-operated saws. The wood was not shaped into planks or timber.”

Contacted, Sharma, who is also the director, GHNP, said, “We have submitted our findings to the PCCF. So far, we have found no evidence of illegal tree felling in protected areas. The wood and logs accumulated at Pandoh Dam appear to be dead wood. However, the probe is ongoing to bring further clarity.”

Meanwhile, an official spokesperson said that the state government has taken serious cognisance of the matter and has ordered a CID inquiry to “bring to light the possible reasons behind the accumulation of wood in such a large quantity”.

The spokesperson, quoting Sukhu, hit out at the BJP, alleging that the opposition party had supported the forest mafia during its rule and had failed to fix accountability on the issue of illegal felling of trees. “The first and foremost reaction to the incidents of cloudbursts and floods was to save the life of people and provide immediate relief to them wherein effective measures were underway to bring back normalcy in the flood hit regions,” the spokesperson said.

“While the government and the administration were busy helping people, the BJP made hue and cry regarding the forest wood without showing sensitivity and concern for the ones affected by cloudburst and flash floods,” the spokesperson said.

“The opposition is highly ignorant and selective when it comes to such matters as the issues of illegal felling of trees were never inquired and no accountability was set during their tenure. Rather ‘Van (forest) Mafia’ had clear support of the BJP and its government in the previous tenures of the BJP government in the state”, the spokesperson said.

Incidentally, Congress MLA from Theog, Kuldeep Singh Rathore, too had publicly criticised his own party’s government and demanded a fair probe into the accumulation of the large volume of wood at Pandoh Dam.

On June 25, three people were killed and half a dozen houses were washed away in multiple cloudbursts’ incidents reported from Manikaran, Sainj, Gadsa and Banjar areas of Kullu.