Shivalik Under Siege: Illegal Timber Mafia Devastates Panchkula’s Protected Forests

Gustakhi Maaf Haryana-Pawan Kumar Bansal.

By our enlightened reader Vinod Bhatia retired IFS Haryana. SHIVALIK UNDER SIEGE: ILLICIT TREE FELLING RAVAGES PANCHKULA’S WILDLIFE SANCTUARIES

The pristine Shivalik foothills are witnessing a silent ecological massacre as organized timber syndicates and local encroachers continue to plunder Panchkula’s protected wildlife areas. Despite several court mandates and the recent high-alert status of the Morni Hills, Khol Hi-Raitan, and Bir Shikargah sanctuaries, the illicit felling of high-value timber like Khair has reached an alarming scale. Recent photographs of illicit felling indicate that Panchkula has become a hotspot for green cover loss in Haryana. Since 2001, the district has lost approximately 179 hectares of tree cover—the highest in the state. Environmentalists warn that the “lungs of the Tricity” are being choked by a combination of administrative apathy and predatory logging. Just last month, the Wildlife Department intercepted a major haul in the region, recovering over 100 illegal Khair logs destined for the black market. However, such seizures are rare compared to the frequency of the crimes. In many instances, forest guards have been outnumbered and even attacked by wood-smugglers, highlighting a dangerous shift toward organized “timber mafias.” The Punjab and Haryana High Court recently expressed “strong displeasure” over the state government’s failure to finalize the demarcation of Morni Hills as a Reserved Forest. In a scathing observation this February, the court initiated suo motu contempt proceedings against senior forest officials, noting that authorities appeared to be “looking for excuses” to delay the protection of these ecologically fragile zones. “The delay in demarcation has created a legal vacuum,” says Vijay Bansal, a local activist. “Without clear boundaries, hundreds of illegal farmhouses and commercial structures have encroached upon forest land, leading to the quiet clearing of thousands of native trees. The Khol Hi-Raitan and Bir Shikargah sanctuaries are facing unique threats.The National Green Tribunal (NGT) recently flagged the illegal felling of trees on over 40 hectares of forest land diverted for non-forest use.Unlicensed sawmills operating in nearby border areas provide a “laundry” for stolen timber, making it nearly impossible to track the origin of processed wood.The clearing of native fruit-bearing trees and fodder plots is forcing leopards and wild boars into human settlements, leading to a spike in man-animal conflicts across Morni and Pinjore. The Wildlife Division of Panchkula has recently taken taken over the management of wild life sanctuaries and national parks but poor staffing has triggered massive illicit felling. The Forest Minister knows this and has formed a committee also to inquire about illicit felling of trees in massive numbers but the process is yet to start. As the sun sets over the Shivaliks, the distant sound of chainsaws in forests remains a grim reminder that Panchkula’s natural heritage is being sold off, one log at a time. And nobody knows about Yamunanagar division which is also under siege of timber smugglers.