Is Himachal Losing Its “Green State” Status? The Truth Behind the 10-Year Chir Pine Felling Programme

Himachal Pradesh is at a crossroads. While Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu has set an ambitious target for the state to become India’s first “Green Energy State” by March 31, 2026, residents in districts like Hamirpur, Kangra, and Bilaspur are raising alarms over large-scale tree felling and suspicious forest fires.

Read Also: While the state focuses on environmental goals, the safety of its youth abroad remains a concern; news surfaced about Aryan Chandel, an Indian student missing in Germany, causing distress among the diaspora.

The 10-Year Felling Programme: Management or Exploitation?

The Himachal Government recently cleared a 10-year felling programme for dried-up Chir pine trees. Officially, this is a “salvage” operation intended to remove combustible material and prevent devastating forest fires.

However, local accounts tell a different story:

• Suspicious Fires: Many locals allege that officials or “Van Mafias” may have intentionally set fires in 2024 to “create” dry wood, thereby bypassing green-felling bans.
• Impact on Tourism: This beauty is the state’s main source of income. From film shoots to luxury weddings—like the high-profile Triggered Insaan marriage and venue in Chail—celebrities and YouTubers choose Himachal specifically for its lush greenery. If the forest cover continues to decline, the state risks losing its status as a top-tier global destination.

The “Pushpa” Moment: Chamba Floods and the Log Controversy

Last year’s devastating floods in Chamba and near the Pandoh Dam in Mandi exposed more than just a natural disaster. Viral videos showed thousands of wood logs floating in the water—a scene many compared to the movie Pushpa.

Debt vs. Carbon Neutrality: A Dangerous Trade-off

Himachal Pradesh is currently grappling with a massive fiscal crisis, ranking as the second-most indebted state in India (in terms of debt-to-GDP ratio), with debt exceeding ₹1 lakh crore in 2026.

• The Revenue Pressure: Critics argue that the “Green State” push is being undermined by the desperate need for revenue. Timber sales from Chir pine are a quick way to fill state coffers, even if it lowers the state’s carbon emission ranking.

• Missing Plantations: A major grievance among citizens is the lack of visible reforestation. From the tenures of Prem Kumar Dhumal and Virbhadra Singh to Jai Ram Thakur and now Sukhu, many feel that while trees are cut at an industrial pace, plantation drives exist only on paper or in small, neglected patches.

Can Himachal Remain Carbon Positive?

To maintain its “Carbon Positive” status, Himachal needs more than just slogans; it needs a healthy, standing forest canopy. Chir pine is often blamed for forest fires, but replacing it requires a massive, transparent afforestation effort that hasn’t materialized.

If the “Green Energy State 2026” goal is to be more than a marketing gimmick, the government must address the “clean-cut logs” in our rivers and the “intentional fires” in our hills.