Forest officials seize 77 illegal deodar sleepers during raid in Pangi village
The Forest Department conducted raids at seven houses in the village on Saturday
Days after incidents off illegal felling, forest officials in Pangi subdivision carried out a major crackdown in Warniyun village, recovering a large quantity of illicit timber.
Acting on specific inputs, teams from the Forest Department conducted raids at seven houses in the village on Saturday and seized 77 sleepers of deodar wood fresh and old.
The action follows the incident of illegal felling in Warniyun forest in Sach range of Pangi Forest Division in which about half a dozen were illegally axed by unidentified persons.
The officials said that the wood had been hidden in residential premises, and those questioned failed to produce any valid documentation.
Pangi Divisional Forest Officer Ravi Guleria said that a forest guard received a tip-off on Saturday about illegally felled timber being hidden inside residential properties. Subsequently, the concerned Range officer requested his office to issue search warrants under Section 72-of Indian Forest Act 1927. The particular section of the Act empowers the DFO to issue search warrant if there is suspicion of illicit timber or minor forest produced concealed in a residential premises.
“Our team raided seven houses in the village and recovered 77 deodar sleepers,” said Guleria.
Preliminary investigation revealed that the wood had been illegally extracted as the people in question failed to provide any proof of legal possession of timber.
A damage report is being prepared and if the value of seized timber from one house exceeds Rs 10 lakh, an FIR will be lodged against the owner of the house.
It may be recalled that an incident of illegal felling was reported from Warniyun forest in Sach range on April 20 where forest officials had seized dozens of sleepers of processed deodar wood and stumps of the axed trees. Before this, a case of illegal felling had surfaced in the Chouri forest of the Sach range.
The DFO has instituted inquiry into both the incidents with Range Officer Purthi leading the probe team. The panel has been directed to submit its report within 15 days, while the range filed officers have been issued show-cause notices.
Pangi in Chamba district is one of the remotest valleys of Himachal, nestled along the Chenab river and surrounded by high mountain ranges. Sources said that shortage of staff is hampering effective monitoring and conservation efforts. Of a total 23 sanctioned posts of forest guards, nine are lying vacant. Similarly, five of the seven posts of Block Officers are also lying vacant.
Meanwhile, forest officials said that keeping in view the needs of local residents, the department approved a record 145 Timber Distribution (TD) cases in the financial year 2025–26. Timber Distribution (TD) in Himachal Pradesh is a regulated, concessionary scheme providing standing trees at subsidized rates to local ‘right holders’ exclusively for construction, repair or alteration of houses and cowsheds.
Authorities have appealed to the public to support conservation efforts to ensure sustainable use of forest resources for future generations.
