Says statements being issued from AC rooms without verifying facts on ground
Munish Sood
Mandi: In a sharp rebuttal to Congress colleague and Theog MLA Kuldeep Singh Rathore, Himachal Pradesh Forest Development Corporation Vice-Chairman Kehar Singh Khachi has termed Rathore’s recent statement regarding the timber flow into Pandoh Dam following rains as “irresponsible and baseless”.
Speaking at a press conference held in Mandi, Khachi, a known aide of Congress leaders Sonia Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi, accused a few leaders of attempting to gain media attention by issuing statements from “air-conditioned rooms” without verifying facts on the ground.
Khachi strongly defended the government and the forest department in the wake of public concerns and viral videos showing large quantities of wood drifting down Beas river into the Pandoh Dam after the recent flashfloods. “The timber seen floating in the dam is not the result of illegal tree felling,” Khachi stated. “This is old forest debris — branches, logs and natural refuse — that had accumulated over decades and was carried away by the sheer force of floodwaters following cloudburst events.”
The Vice-Chairman said he had personally visited the affected locations to assess the situation. “The areas from where this debris came are so remote and inaccessible that the idea of illegal logging in those forests is unrealistic,” he said. “Natural processes such as aging, decay and storm damage regularly cause wood to fall and accumulate in forest interiors. The flashfloods simply flushed that long-deposited material out of the woods and into the river system.”
Khachi emphasised that the forest department had not issued a clean chit to anyone yet, and a thorough investigation was currently underway. “Useful timber is being recovered wherever possible, while the remaining waste has flowed downstream. We are taking this matter seriously and following due process,” he said. Khachi urged journalists to visit the affected areas themselves before forming conclusions, asserting that viral images and video clips do not always reflect the full truth.
Responding directly to Rathore’s remarks, he said, “Leaders should not comment on such sensitive matters without verifying facts. I had access to initial reports even while I was in Shimla, but I refrained from speaking until I saw the situation firsthand. That is the responsibility expected of public representatives.”
Khachi also expressed concern about the increasing tendency of using social and mainstream media to amplify unverified claims. “Media can shape public opinion very quickly, and that power must be used with caution and responsibility,” he said.
The incident in question stems from the events of June 25, when torrential rainfall triggered multiple cloudbursts in Himachal Pradesh’s Kullu and Kangra districts. The resulting flashfloods caused rivers, including the Beas and Parvati, to swell uncontrollably. In their wake, they carried massive amounts of wooden debris — much of it appearing as logs and branches — downstream into Pandoh Dam, alarming locals and fueling speculation of large-scale deforestation or illegal timber trade.
However, forest officials now assert that the material was mostly decomposed or long-dead wood from natural forest cover, loosened by the violent rush of water. The state government, along with the forest department, continues to monitor the situation, even as rescue and rehabilitation efforts proceed in the flood-hit areas.
