Illicit Tree Felling in Dharampur? Centre Orders Probe Amid Rising Allegations
The Central Government has stepped in to investigate serious allegations of illegal tree felling in Dharampur, a region in Himachal Pradesh’s Mandi district, by setting up a three-member special inquiry committee under the Ministry of Environment and Forests.
The move comes after growing concerns and demands for transparency surrounding alleged unauthorized timber operations in the area. In an official notification, Inspector General of Forests KB Singh stated, “I have decided to conduct an inquiry into the alleged illicit tree felling in the Dharampur area of Mandi district by constituting a special committee.”
Heading the committee will be George Jenner, Deputy Director General from Chennai. He will be joined by Sanjay Chauhan, Assistant Inspector General from the Ministry, and Shushant Kumar from ICFRE, as committee members. The panel has been tasked with submitting its findings within three weeks.
Their investigation will cover a wide scope — from verifying the legality of permissions granted for tree felling, checking whether these comply with environmental laws and court rulings, examining the legality and origin of stacked timber, to assessing the amount of timber seized and the actions taken. The committee also holds the authority to explore any additional issues they find relevant.
This development follows repeated calls for an inquiry by CPM leader Bhupinder Singh, who alleges that the tree felling is linked to a company with ties to the Dharampur MLA and his wife.
In response, the Dharampur MLA dismissed the accusations as politically motivated. “Certain people are trying to make a mountain out of a molehill. The allegations against me and my family are baseless. I’ll be issuing a formal statement soon, as this is clearly an attempt to malign the image of the state government and derail its well-intentioned policies,” he said.
As the probe begins, locals and environmentalists alike are keeping a close eye on the outcome, hoping for accountability and transparency in protecting the region’s forest resources. Further reports are awaited on the story.
