NEW DELHI, October 30 — The Himachal Pradesh government has denied allegations of illegal tree felling in the state, telling the Supreme Court that wooden logs seen floating in floodwaters after torrential rains were the result of natural disasters — not organised deforestation.
In an affidavit filed earlier this month, Additional Chief Secretary (Forests) Kamlesh Kumar Pant said heavy rainfall, cloudbursts, landslides, and glacier movement led to extensive flooding, which in turn uprooted trees that were carried downstream. “Such incidents resulted in large-scale uprooting of trees, which were carried downstream as driftwood and accumulated along riverbanks,” the affidavit stated.
The state government maintained that the logs seen in viral videos were not from trees felled in the catchment areas of the Ravi and Beas rivers. “The viral videos showing large wood logs during floods due to a cloudburst must be interpreted through the lens of natural forest dynamics and disaster science,” the affidavit said. “Such wood debris primarily consists of naturally fallen, decaying trees mobilised by the force of floodwaters, not illegal felling.”
The government acknowledged that “stray and isolated cases of illegal felling” could not be ruled out but asserted that the Forest Department “took immediate legal action against violators under existing Acts and regulations.”
Taking suo motu note of the viral videos, a Bench led by Chief Justice of India B.R. Gavai had on September 4 issued notices to the Centre, Himachal Pradesh, Jammu and Kashmir, Punjab, and Uttarakhand, citing concerns over alleged large-scale deforestation in the Himalayan region. “From media reports, it appears that there has been illegal felling of trees,” the Bench had said, calling the issue “a very serious matter.”
The state government, however, said multiple field inspections found no evidence of illegal logging. Two committees headed by the Conservator of Forests for Chamba and Kullu circles conducted inquiries and reported that 177 logs were found in Chamba. “The presence of logs in rivers after cloudbursts is a globally observed and scientifically explained process arising from slope failures, erosion, and re-mobilisation of old wood deposits,” the affidavit stated.
It added that the debris primarily comprised “uprooted trees, driftwood, rotten logs, lops, tops and biomass of low or no commercial value.” The findings, supported by photographic and video evidence and testimonies of local communities, “indicate there has not been any large-scale or organised illegal felling as alleged.”
The Himachal government said it had “proactively initiated inquiry” in July, even before the Supreme Court took cognisance of the matter, and urged the Bench to dispose of the case.
The court is hearing a public interest litigation (PIL) filed by environmentalist Anamika Rana of Panchkula, who has sought guidelines to prevent ecological disasters in the Himalayan states in the wake of recurring landslides, flash floods and cloudbursts.
