Videos showing massive piles of timber logs stuck at a dam in Himachal Pradesh have raised alarm about the scale of illegal logging in the state. The viral clips showed timber logs floating in Dool Dam at Dulhasti in Kishtwar, built on the Chenab River and Sheetla Bridge in the Sarodi area of lower Chamba. These visuals sparked widespread concerns about large-scale tree cutting in fragile Himalayan areas.

The Supreme Court took suo motu notice of the issue on September 4, 2025, linking rampant deforestation with rising flood and landslide risks. Chief Justice B R Gavai and Justice Vinod Chandran observed that “huge numbers of wooden logs were flowing around in the floods,” suggesting large-scale illegal tree felling uphill. Notices have been sent to the Centre, NDMA, Environment Ministry, Jal Shakti Ministry, NHAI, and state governments of Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Punjab and the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir.

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Minister blames forest officers

State Industries Minister Harshwardhan Chauhan has held Indian Forest Service (IFS) officers responsible for failing to curb illegal tree cutting, accusing them of neglecting their duty to survey forest areas.

“Nowadays it seems that IFS officers and divisional forest officers (DFOs) hardly conduct inspections or even visit the forests. The responsibility has been left entirely to guards. Officers should monitor the extent of deforestation and its impact. This is a serious issue that requires urgent attention,” Chauhan said.

Calling the recent visuals of massive logs and cut wood being swept into rivers “astonishing,” the minister stressed the need for a thorough probe.

In June, former state party president and current Theog MLA Kuldeep Singh Rathore also accused forest department officials of negligence and urged Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu to launch an inquiry to fix responsibility. Around the same time, viral videos from the Pandoh Dam reservoir in Mandi showed large quantities of timber floating after the June 25 cloudbursts and flash floods in the Gadsa and Sainj valleys of Kullu district.

Environmentalists welcome intervention

Activists and environmental experts have welcomed the Supreme Court’s move, saying it may finally push authorities to protect Himachal’s fragile ecology. They argue that sustainable policies are needed to prevent reckless development projects in sensitive mountain zones.

The Chenab River valley is facing the worst of the crisis, where illegal logging has quietly eaten away at the forests for years. The recent monsoon floods and landslides in northern India, which claimed at least 90 lives and forced thousands from their homes, have made the dangers painfully clear. 

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Experts say the loss of trees is directly worsening these disasters. A 2024 report had already sounded the alarm, revealing that more than 4,400 trees were cut down illegally in the region.

Earlier in July, CM Sukhu had ordered a CID inquiry after logs were seen floating in Pong Dam. However, the probe is still pending. In another case, when similar visuals emerged from the Ravi River, the forest department again denied illegal logging.

Forest officials have claimed that many of the logs may have come from trees uprooted by cloudbursts and floods. A report by Principal Chief Conservator of Forests Sameer Rastogi found that uprooted trees and deadwood travelled nearly 27 km before getting stuck at Pandoh Dam in Mandi. But activists insist illegal removal of trees remains a major factor behind the alarming visuals.