CIA Seizes Seven Vehicles Transporting Timber Logs in Fatehpur
The Criminal Investigation Agency (CIA) of the Nurpur police district seized seven vehicles carrying timber logs in the Fatehpur subdivision, bringing to light the alleged illegal felling of khair trees in the forest areas of Nurpur, Himachal Pradesh. The seizure has raised serious questions about monitoring lapses by field-level Forest Department officials and the effectiveness of forest protection measures in the interstate border region.
Alleged Misuse of 10-Year Felling Plan on Private Land
Local residents and environmental activists have alleged that permissions issued for cutting trees on private land under the state Forest Department's 10-year felling plan are being misused to illegally fell khair trees from forest land. They claim that large quantities of timber are being transported outside the state without valid documentation, pointing to the possible presence of an organised network involved in illegal tree felling, timber processing, and movement of logs to neighbouring states during night hours.
Environmentalists Raise Alarm Over Biodiversity Loss
Durgesh Katoch, a local environmentalist who has been raising concerns over forest destruction for more than three years, said, “Forests under the Bhadroya forest range have become a hotspot for mafias, while the concerned department remains largely inactive.” He alleged the presence of an organised nexus involved in illegal forest activities in the interstate border district. “The continuous disappearance of trees from the forest areas is adversely affecting biodiversity and could lead to a serious environmental crisis in the future,” Katoch added. He demanded a high-level inquiry into the alleged large-scale felling of trees reported over the past three years in lower Kangra district under the Nurpur forest division.
Concentrated Illegal Activity in Bhadroya Forest Range Villages
According to local sources, the alleged illegal activities are concentrated in forest areas around Dagro, Malot, Damtal, Baleer, Ghodan, Lodwan, Tipri, Janera, Mehkad, Indpur, Ghandran, and Malhari villages falling under the Bhadroya forest range. Residents and social organisations said the possibility of a strong nexus involving a forest mafia operating in the Indora subdivision could not be ruled out. They stressed the need for better coordination between the Forest Department, the police, and local communities to curb the practice.
KDMS Provisions and Legal Ambiguity
Observers have pointed to the state Forest Department's 10-year khair tree felling plan for private land as a factor that may have created opportunities for the alleged illegal cutting of trees from forest land as well as areas classified as “Khudro Drakhtan Malkiat Sarkar” (KDMS). Under the KDMS provisions, naturally grown trees on privately owned or community land are legally considered the property of the state government, even though the land itself belongs to individuals or village communities. This legal ambiguity is believed to be exploited by illegal operators.
Demand for Comprehensive Investigation
Environmentalists have urged the government to conduct a comprehensive investigation into the alleged illegal felling and timber smuggling network, while calling for stronger monitoring mechanisms to protect the region's rapidly depleting forest resources. The issue has triggered widespread concern across the region, with activists warning of a serious environmental crisis if unchecked exploitation continues.
