Former MLA Alleges Large-Scale Illegal Felling of Deodar Trees in Manali Wildlife Sanctuary

Former MLA from Lahaul-Spiti and senior BJP leader Ravi Thakur has alleged large-scale illegal felling of deodar trees in Himachal Pradesh’s ecologically sensitive areas, particularly in parts of Manali and Lahaul-Spiti.

In a formal memorandum submitted to Union Minister for Environment, Forest and Climate Change Bhupender Yadav, Thakur demanded the formation of a Special Investigation Team (SIT) to probe alleged illegal forest activities in these regions.

Thakur’s concerns stem from incidents during this year’s devastating monsoon, when large quantities of timber—mostly deodar logs and planks—were seen floating down rivers and streams across several parts of the state. He claimed the state government dismissed these sightings as a result of natural disasters.

Rejecting this explanation, Thakur cited complaints from local residents who suspect that the logs had been felled and stockpiled well before the rains began. “Locals believe these were not products of nature’s fury but the result of human interference,” he said. “It appears the trees were cut down and sawn into planks, and the floods merely exposed the scale of the operation.”

He further alleged that felling was taking place inside the Manali reserved forest under the supervision of forest officials. According to him, contractors and certain officers were exploiting the pretext of infrastructure development and the removal of old trees to justify deforestation in the internationally renowned tourist destination.

A similar incident was reported in Salgram, under the Udaipur subdivision of Lahaul-Spiti, where residents had raised alarms about suspicious tree-cutting activity. Thakur claimed that despite being alerted, the local administration filed only a “minor case,” allegedly to weaken the investigation.

Urging the Union minister to intervene, Thakur wrote, “Development should not come at the cost of our forest heritage. These are ecologically fragile regions and must be protected from illegal exploitation.”

Responding to the allegations, the Forest Department denied any wrongdoing, stating that the visible timber comprised dead trees, not illegally felled ones. Rajesh Sharma, Divisional Forest Officer (DFO) of Kullu Wildlife Division, clarified that the logs seen in the Manali reserve forest were from dead and dry deodar trees being processed through authorized departmental procedures.

“The logs found in the area are from old, dead trees, and their disposal is being carried out in accordance with standard forest protocols,” Sharma said. “Usable and waste portions are being segregated under proper supervision by the Forest Corporation.”