Forest wood floating in Pandoh Dam: HP CM orders CID probe

Shimla: Caught in a poignant situation over floating wooden logs in the floods, after heavy monsoon rains in Kullu and Mandi districts—visuals of which went viral last week, Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Sukhwinder Singh Sukhu has ordered a CID probe into the incident.

The forest wood and logs had eventually accumulated in the Pandoh Dam, exposing the role of the timber smugglers and forest mafia engaged in illegal forest felling in the state.

In a single day, 10 cloud bursts happened in Mandi and Kullu areas, leading to flash floods that have left a trail of deaths and destruction in the state.

“There is no other reason why such a huge quantity of dry forest wood logs flowed in the flood except that the illegal felling is going unabated in the state’s high hills with connivance of the forest department,” said Vijay Thakur, a native of Banjar.

The visuals have reignited worries over deforestation and mismanagement in forested areas. This was timber of good quality, not simply the bushes or uprooted trees.

Governor Shiv Pratap Shukla, on Monday, termed the incident a “shame” and raised his concerns about how the forests in the state were being plundered, putting the state at high risk of natural calamities and disasters.

A government spokesperson said that the Chief Minister has taken due cognisance of the matter and would bring to light the possible reasons behind the accumulation of wood in such a large quantity. The government has decided on a CID inquiry into the matter.

A blame game has also started between the BJP and the government over the illegal felling issue in the state.

“The BJP is making irresponsible allegations at the time of disaster, which highlights that the Opposition is highly ignorant and selective when it comes to such matters, as the issues of illegal felling of trees were never inquired into, and no accountability was set during their tenure. Rather, the “Van Mafia” had clear support of the BJP and its government in the previous tenures of the BJP government in the state,” said the spokesman.