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Srinagar : The fragile ecology of the Pir Panjal range in Indian illegally occupied Jammu and Kashmir is facing mounting threats from illegal tree felling, timber smuggling, encroachment and illegal quarrying backed India\u2019s civil and military establishment, raising concerns over the region\u2019s forests, water resources and slope stability.<\/p>\n
According to Kashmir Media Service, the forests stretching from Doodh Ganga in Budgam to Pulwama, Kupwara and Baramulla have come under increasing pressure from timber smugglers as well as so-called development activities, including military infrastructure.<\/p>\n
Forest department records cited in a report show that more than 14,359 hectares of forest land had been identified as under encroachment as of March 2026, while 925.44 hectares were diverted between April 2021 and October 2025 for roads, railways, military infrastructure and urban development. Much of this pressure is concentrated in ecologically fragile areas, including the Pir Panjal range and forests of Kupwara and Baramulla.<\/p>\n
The report said more than 2,000 kail trees were felled in the Frasnag area of the Doodh Ganga forest range during one trekking season between March and August, with local communities attributing much of the destruction to timber smugglers exploiting the high commercial value of the trees.<\/p>\n
The scale of timber smuggling is also reflected in official enforcement figures. During the broader lockdown period, authorities reportedly made 130 arrests, registered 62 police cases and confiscated 14 vehicles and 27 horses in connection with forest offences.<\/p>\n
However, the report pointed out that the menace is not confined to individual timber smugglers. Illegal quarrying, unauthorized encroachments, diversion of forest land and development projects, including contracts and works awarded to Indian companies, are also putting sustained pressure on the forests and fragile mountain ecosystem. The lack of effective accountability for unauthorized land diversion further compounds the problem.<\/p>\n
The destruction of forest cover is increasing the risk of soil erosion and landslides on steep slopes and weakening the natural capacity of forests to regulate water flow. Forest degradation is also linked to increased flooding risks, including the flow of excess water towards the Jhelum River and downstream areas such as Srinagar.<\/p>\n
The crisis is also affecting Kashmir\u2019s economy. The report warned that unregulated felling is threatening Kashmir willow, a key raw material for the cricket-bat industry, with industry members cautioning that continued irresponsible cutting could severely deplete willow resources within the next decade.<\/p>\n
The Pir Panjal forests cover about 48 percent of the land-use area, making their protection crucial for biodiversity, climate regulation, water security and the livelihoods of local communities.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Srinagar : The fragile ecology of the Pir Panjal range in Indian illegally occupied Jammu and Kashmir is facing mounting threats from illegal tree felling, timber smuggling, encroachment and illegal quarrying backed India\u2019s civil and military establishment, raising concerns over the region\u2019s forests, water resources and slope stability. According to Kashmir Media Service, the forests …<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":211164,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[17],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-211163","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-indian-occupied-jammu-and-kashmir"],"yoast_head":"\n