TNR News Network
Shimla:
Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu has made it clear that his government is not in favour of cutting of apple orchards from forest land, following recent directives issued by the Himachal Pradesh High Court in ongoing forest encroachment cases.
Speaking to the media after returning from Delhi, CM Sukhu expressed concern over the way fruit-bearing trees are being felled as part of a statewide drive to clear illegal encroachments. He said the state government had tried to present its position before the High Court, but the court “is not accepting the government’s point of view”.
State may move supreme court
In response to the high court’s refusal to consider the government’s plea for a more balanced approach, the Chief Minister revealed that the state is now actively considering moving the Supreme Court against the High Court’s orders.
“We are not against protecting forests, but this is also about protecting the livelihoods of small orchardists who have grown apple trees on these lands for decades,” Sukhu said. He emphasised that the issue is not just legal, but deeply humanitarian and economic, affecting thousands of small farmers across apple-growing belts of the state.
High Court calls for crackdown across Himachal
The High Court, while monitoring the ongoing anti-encroachment drive, has repeatedly emphasised that the state must not limit its action to small landholders. In its latest observations, the high court had said that action must be taken pan-Himachal.
This directive has led to intensified action in areas like Chaithla, Kotgarh, Rohru and other prominent orchard zones, where thousands of apple and fruit trees have reportedly been cut down by the Forest Department in recent weeks.
Government plans relief for small orchardists
CM Sukhu also announced that the state government is working on a plan to rehabilitate affected small orchardists by providing them alternate land for housing wherever feasible. “We will ensure that poor and marginal orchardists are not left homeless or without livelihood. Wherever possible, we will allocate available government land for their resettlement,” he said.
He has called for a high-level meeting with the Horticulture Minister to assess the legal options and draft a relief policy for those impacted by the evictions.
Other News
Around 12,000 devotees take Holy Dip at Manimahesh Dal Lake on Krishna Janmashtami
Guru Nanak Public School students celebrate Janmashtami, distribute prasad to locals and tourists
37th Annual Dangal mela held at Panchpula on Independence Day, Wrestlers from Five States Participate
Shimla faces acute water crisis as rain damages supply lines; residents allege preferential treatment to VVIP Areas
‘Development or destruction?’ Families across Himachal accuse NHAI of ruining fertile land, homes
