Is it rain disaster or tree felling in HP?

THE recent sight of massive logs swept downstream in flood-ravaged Himachal Pradesh triggered alarm and suspicion. Viral videos showing timber floating in rivers prompted the Supreme Court to flag possible illegal felling. In response, the Himachal government has firmly denied any large-scale illegal logging. It has attributed the phenomenon to this season’s unprecedented rainfall, cloudbursts, landslides and glacier movement, which together destabilised hill slopes, uprooting trees. The truth, as often, lies somewhere between extremes. While natural forces undoubtedly play a role in pushing uprooted wood downstream in the Himalayan floods, the frequency and scale of such logs raise legitimate questions. Investigations so far, including by forest-department committees and field inspections, claim to have found no evidence of systematic felling of trees. Yet, it is also true that issues such as weak forest monitoring, lax oversight and occasional collusion, which have been regularly flagged, may obscure the real extent of deforestation and timber trafficking.

The Supreme Court’s intervention is welcome. The phenomenon of logs floating downstream should not be dismissed lightly. The Himalayan ecology is fragile and dangerously overstressed by unregulated tourism, rampant construction and road-widening projects. Forests anchor slopes, regulate runoff and buffer climate extremes. Once a tree cover is compromised, landslides and floods become more frequent and ferocious. The court’s notices to state and Central agencies underline that ecological accountability must accompany disaster relief and post-flood reconstruction.

Moving forward, transparency is the key. Independent scientific audits, satellite-based forest cover monitoring and stringent surveillance of forests must be institutionalised. Local communities, panchayats and NGOs must be integrated into forest oversight. If any illegal trade or felling is unearthed, those responsible, must face consequences. Only then can we ensure that nature’s fury is not exacerbated by human neglect.

Editorials