Overview

• Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu on July 7 handed over a formal inquiry into the accumulation of logs at Pandoh Dam to the Criminal Investigation Department.
• The probe will examine whether the wood was uprooted by cloudbursts and flash floods or illegally felled by a so-called 'forest mafia.'
• The influx of logs recently jammed the floodgates of the 100 MW Malana II hydropower plant on a Beas tributary, underscoring infrastructure risks.
• The investigation has intensified political tensions as the ruling party accuses the BJP of supporting illicit timber operations and the opposition denies the claim.
• Authorities have reaffirmed their objective to achieve 'Green Energy State' status by March 2026 and pledged to address any legal obstruction to hydropower projects.