Shimla/New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Thursday took cognisance of viral videos showing large wooden logs floating in rivers across Himachal Pradesh during the ongoing monsoon season. The visuals, which have triggered widespread concern on social media, particularly from areas like the Ravi River near the Sheetla Bridge in Lower Chamba, have now caught the attention of top policymakers and the judiciary.
Minister Harshwardhan Chauhan Points Finger at Forest Officials
In a sharp response to the viral footage, Himachal Pradesh Industries Minister Harshwardhan Chauhan directly blamed Indian Forest Service (IFS) officers and Divisional Forest Officers (DFOs) for failing in their duty to prevent illegal tree felling.
“Nowadays, it seems that IFS officers and DFOs do not survey the forests; they don’t even visit them,” Chauhan said. “Forests are being left to the responsibility of guards. They should inspect how and to what extent deforestation is occurring. This is a matter of concern and needs careful consideration.”
Visuals ‘Astonishing’, Investigation Needed: Chauhan
Chauhan described the footage of logs and cut wood being swept downstream as “astonishing” and called for a serious investigation into the matter. “If entire trees were being washed away, it might be understandable. But the presence of cut sleepers and logs in the rivers indicates that deforestation is happening in the mountainous and inaccessible forested regions,” he added.
Forest Department Claims Natural Causes Behind Floating Wood
In response, the Himachal Pradesh Forest Department attributed the wooden debris to cloudbursts and flash floods that occurred between August 24 and 26 in the upper catchment areas of Chamba. A preliminary inquiry, according to forest officials, found no direct links to illegal logging, asserting that the material was mostly driftwood and uprooted trees.
Opposition from Within: Congress Leaders Demand Accountability
Interestingly, Chauhan is not the first Congress leader to voice concerns about the forest department’s functioning. In June, Theog MLA and former state Congress president Kuldeep Singh Rathore also accused forest officials of negligence and urged Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu to initiate an inquiry to establish accountability.
Earlier incidents further support these claims, with similar footage of floating wood surfacing from the Pandoh Dam reservoir in Mandi following the June 25 cloudbursts and flash floods in the Gadsa and Sainj valleys of Kullu district.
Public Concern Grows Amid Environmental Warnings
Environmental activists and concerned citizens have taken to social media to raise alarms about unchecked deforestation and its long-term implications, especially in ecologically fragile hill states like Himachal Pradesh. The growing frequency of flash floods, cloudbursts, and now the suspicious presence of sawn timber in rivers point toward a deeper issue that demands immediate and transparent investigation.
Also Read: Forest Rights Pattas to Be Granted in Himachal by November; No Right to Sell Land
