CM Sukhu Chairs 77th State-Level Van Mahotsav in Bilaspur
Synopsis
Himachal Pradesh CM Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu presided over the 77th State-Level Van Mahotsav at Bilaspur's Bharari Forest Range on 14 August 2026, calling for community-led conservation alongside government plantation efforts to protect the state's Himalayan forest heritage.
Key Takeaways
CM Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu chaired the 77th State-Level Van Mahotsav on 14 August 2026 .
The event was held at D.P.F.
Mangalaut, Bharari Forest Range under Bilaspur Forest Division .
Sukhu emphasised that nurturing and conserving planted saplings is as important as the planting itself.
Technical Education Minister Rajesh Dharmani and other dignitaries attended.
The Chief Minister called for active community participation alongside government efforts to protect Himachal's forest wealth.
Van Mahotsav is a national tradition dating to 1950 , adapted annually to Himachal Pradesh's Himalayan ecological priorities.
In the forested hills above Bilaspur, Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu on Friday, 14 August 2026, presided over the 77th State-Level Van Mahotsav and plantation drive at D.P.F. Mangalaut, Bharari Forest Range, Bilaspur Forest Division — renewing a pledge that is as old as independent India itself.
Sukhu framed the occasion in the language of identity and obligation. 'Himachal is known by its dense forests, rivers and vast mountains,' he said. 'These forests are our natural heritage and the foundation of life. Planting a sapling today is the protection of tomorrow.' The message was deliberate: plantation without follow-through is hollow. The Chief Minister stressed that nurturing and conserving every sapling planted carries equal weight as the act of planting itself.A 75-Year Tradition Rooted in Mountain Soil
Van Mahotsav was launched nationally in 1950 by then Union Agriculture Minister K.M. Munshi as a week-long celebration of trees, aimed at reversing the deforestation that had accelerated under colonial rule. Over seven decades, states have adapted the festival to local ecological priorities. In a Himalayan state like Himachal Pradesh — where forests regulate river flows, prevent landslides, and anchor the livelihoods of mountain communities — the annual event carries particular urgency. Himachal Pradesh has long maintained among the higher forest-cover ratios of Indian states, a fact its governments across party lines have cited as both an achievement and a responsibility. The terrain itself demands it: strip the slopes of trees and the consequences cascade fast — soil erosion, flash floods, depleted springs.Dharmani Joins, Community Called to Action
Technical Education Minister Rajesh Dharmani was among the dignitaries present at the Bilaspur event, signalling cross-departmental weight behind the programme. Sukhu's address went beyond government action, explicitly calling for 'active participation of society' alongside state efforts to safeguard Himachal's rich forest wealth. It is a recurring theme in state conservation messaging — that the forest department alone cannot hold the line, and that village communities, schools, and local bodies must become stakeholders in survival rates, not just witnesses to planting ceremonies. The forest range at Mangalaut Bharari served as the symbolic ground for what the state hopes becomes a wider movement across its 12 districts. A sapling in the ground is a promise. Whether Himachal's forests grow denser in the years ahead will depend on whether that promise is kept — one tree at a time, one community at a time.Point of View
Community-facing action rather than symbolic optics. The dual emphasis on planting and post-plantation care reflects a broader shift in Indian forest governance discourse, where survival rates of saplings, not just numbers planted, are increasingly the accountability metric. For a Congress government in a hill state facing climate-linked disasters, forest conservation is both ecological policy and political identity. The call for 'active societal participation' also quietly distributes responsibility outward, building a narrative that conservation is a shared civic duty, not solely a state failure when forests degrade.
NationPress
14 Aug 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Van Mahotsav and when did it start?
Van Mahotsav is an annual tree plantation festival launched in 1950 by Union Agriculture Minister K.M. Munshi to promote afforestation across India. States hold their own editions adapted to local ecological needs.
Where was the 77th State-Level Van Mahotsav held in Himachal Pradesh?
The event was held at D.P.F. Mangalaut, Bharari Forest Range under Bilaspur Forest Division in Himachal Pradesh.
Who presided over the Himachal Pradesh Van Mahotsav 2026?
Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu chaired the event. Technical Education Minister Rajesh Dharmani and other dignitaries were also present.
What did CM Sukhu say about tree plantation at the event?
Sukhu said planting saplings today is protection for tomorrow, and stressed that caring for and conserving planted trees is equally important as the act of planting. He also called for active community participation in forest conservation.
Why are forests important for Himachal Pradesh?
Himachal Pradesh's identity is closely tied to its dense forests, rivers and mountains. Forests regulate river flows, prevent landslides and soil erosion, and support the livelihoods of Himalayan communities.
