CHANDIGARH: After a huge quantity of log woods were sighted afloat the Pandoh Dam recently, Himachal Pradesh Government has ordered an investigation by the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) over the issue. In an unusual phenomenon, the presence of large numbers of big logs and trees afloat the river following the torrential heavy rainfall due to cloudbursts that caused flash floods and massive landslides led to allegations of ‘illegal felling of trees’. Thus, taking strict cognisance of the incident, Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu has handed over the investigations to the CID.An official said that the state government has taken serious cognizance regarding the matter and would bring out the possible reasons behind the incident.”The first and foremost reaction to the incidents of series of cloudbursts and floods was to save the lives of people and provide immediate relief to them, wherein effective measures were underway to bring back normalcy in the flood-hit regions,” the official also said.”The videos and photographs of wood flushing down the river and found floating in the Pandoh dam went viral on a few media platforms, raising public concern and prompting calls for investigation. While the government and the administration was busy helping people, the BJP made hue and cry regarding the forest wood without showing any sensitivity and concern for the ones affected by the cloudburst and flash floods,‘’ an official added.”The BJP leaders were making irresponsible statements at the time of disaster which highlights that the Opposition is highly ignorant and selective when it comes to matters as the issues of illegal felling of trees were never inquired and no accountability was set during their tenure. Rather, the “Van Mafia” had clear support of the BJP and its government in the previous tenures of the BJP government in the state,’’ he said.
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