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Floating logs were waste material: Khachi
Kachi, while interacting with the media person on Saturday said, “The videos on social media showing logs floating in the river after cloudburst in Kullu on June 25 are being widely shared to create confusion regarding the disaster and the forest department is being accused of negligence. This is far from reality.”
Dismissing claims of illegal felling HP State Forest Development Corporation Limited vice chairman Kehar Singh Khachi, while addressing media in Mandi on Saturday, said, “Floating logs were waste material.”
Kachi, while interacting with the media person on Saturday said, “The videos on social media showing logs floating in the river after cloudburst in Kullu on June 25 are being widely shared to create confusion regarding the disaster and the forest department is being accused of negligence. This is far from reality.”
He said, “Due to cloudburst, forest land has suffered a lot of damage, the wood that has come floating in the swelling water bodies is waste wood lying on the forest land that was not removed. These waste wood got stuck in a culvert built on the water bodies that too was damaged and thus due to the breakage wood in large quantities can be seen floating in such a large quantity.”
“The videos initially did give an impression that the wood that floated in the river was due to illegal felling. But after assessing the situation and inspection of the forest area it was found that this was the waste wood lying in the forests for years, which came here along with the soil, water.”
He added, “In the World Heritage Great Himalayan National Park and the sanctuary area adjoining it in Gadsa Valley under Parvati and Saraj Forest Division of Kullu district, it is prohibited to pick up the fallen trees there. This is necessary for creating carbon in the soil and for the organisms thriving in it. This waste material reached Pandoh Dam in the flashflood triggered by cloudburst of June 25.”
“To assess the damage caused by this flood, three teams have been formed under the leadership of Divisional Forest Officers. Which will give its report to the government,” he added.
Lashes out at party colleague Pathania
“Spokespersons of political parties sometimes give meaningless statements to remain in the headlines. This spoils the image of government and party,” said Khachi while responding to media questions about the claims of illegal felling of trees by Congress MLA from Theog and All India Congress party spokesperson Kuldeep Singh Rathore.
All India Congress Committee (AICC) spokesperson and Theog MLA, Kuldeep Singh Rathore has raised concerns about illegal deforestation and mining after videos of tons of timber being washed away in rivers were widely shared on social media. Rathore has sought a high-level inquiry into how logs and timber were piling up in riverbeds and who was responsible for their illegal movement.
“Rathore is a senior leader of the Congress party, he should work for the benefit of the party, but should refrain from making statements against the government without knowing the facts,” cautioned Khachi.
