Srinagar, Dec 22 (KNS): A viral video shot by a trekker en route the Dhanwas Drung area of Tangmarg has triggered serious concerns over what appears to be large-scale and indiscriminate felling of trees in the region, raising questions over forest protection and enforcement on the ground.

The visuals, widely circulated on social media, show vast stretches of forest land littered with freshly cut tree trunks, logs scattered across slopes, and clear signs of heavy extraction in what was once dense green cover. Entire patches appear stripped bare, with timber lying exposed in the open, a sight that has alarmed environmentalists and locals alike.

Sources told Kashmir News Service(KNS) that the alleged felling has taken place in Forest Compartment Nos. 63 Block Baderkote that fall under protected forest jurisdiction. According to the sources, the scale of cutting visible in the video suggests organised and sustained activity rather than isolated or incidental removal.Click Here To Follow Our WhatsApp Channel

“The visuals show a complete breakdown of protection mechanisms. Trees appear to have been felled mercilessly, with no signs of selective cutting or regulated extraction,” a source familiar with the area told KNS.

The incident has brought the spotlight on forest governance in Jammu and Kashmir, particularly in ecologically sensitive areas like Tangmarg, which serves as a key green buffer and tourist corridor near Gulmarg.

Locals have demanded an immediate on-ground verification, fixation of responsibility, and strict action against those involved, asserting that forests often referred to as the Valley’s “green gold” cannot be allowed to be destroyed with impunity.(KNS)