Forest mafia thrives in Himachal amid official apathy: BJP

The Opposition BJP has raised alarm over the rampant activities of the forest mafia in Himachal, accusing the state government of gross negligence despite repeated incidents of large-scale illegal tree felling.

BJP state spokesperson Vivek Sharma criticised the government’s contradictory stance. “While the state boasts of increasing green cover by 28 per cent, the forest mafia is systematically turning rich forest lands into barren tracts,” he stated. Highlighting a major case, Sharma said illegal felling of khair trees worth Rs 18 crore has taken place over 3,117.60 sq km in Swarghat Forest Division. The case has reportedly reached the Prime Minister’s Office.

In Chamba’s Himgiri region, the Kashmal plant—valued for its medicinal roots aged between 400 to 500 years—is being uprooted indiscriminately. Eight quintals of roots have been seized, though actual damage is believed to be significantly higher.

In Paonta sahibdivision of Sirmaur district, 14 FIRs have been registered in the last three years, as wood worth over Rs 1 crore has been illicitly harvested. On April 3, 30 khair trees were felled in Behral beat. Shockingly, the CCTV at a key forest exit point on the Himachal–Uttarakhand border was found non-functional, aiding the mafia’s escape. Action against the culprits remains pending.

The Chaupal area, especially Tharoch along the Uttarakhand border, is also under threat. Sharma alleged forest officials were being bribed to permit illegal felling and that a specific community is being allowed to encroach on forest lands.

At the Una barrier, trucks carrying illegal timber reportedly cross into Punjab with a bribe of Rs 10,000. In Dharampur area of Mandi district, illegal forest depots have surfaced in Bahri and Kharot villages, further exposing the unchecked operations of timber smugglers. The BJP demanded immediate action and accountability, calling the situation a grave threat to Himachal’s ecological heritage.