Shimla, Jul 17 (PTI) Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu on Thursday said that the state government is not in favour of felling apple-laden trees from encroached forest land and that it should be given time to auction the produce.
The forest department has begun an eviction drive following a high court order last week, which expressed concern over the re-emergence of encroachments in forest land where encroachers were removed from earlier.
The high court had directed the forest department to remove apple trees and orchards from the encroached forest land and plant forest species instead.
“The state government is of the view that felling fruit-laden apple trees is inappropriate and the high court should give ample time to the state government to auction the apple produce,” Sukhu told reporters here.
He said a meeting will be convened with the horticulture minister and other senior officers soon to explore the legal aspects of this issue and the basis on which the Supreme Court can be approached.
On Wednesday, Himachal Pradesh Education Minister Rohit Thakur had expressed anguish over the uprooting of apple trees on the encroached forest areas, stating that the interests of small and marginal farmers with less than five bighas of land should be protected.
Questioning the timing of evictions, Thakur, who represents Jubbal and Kotkhai assembly constituencies in the heart of the apple belt, told the media that he would apprise the chief minister regarding the concerns of small and marginal farmers and plead for a relief measure.
Meanwhile, in a statement issued on Thursday, the Apple Farmers Federation of India (AFFI) reiterated that a massive rally will be held at the state secretariat in Shimla on July 29 against the large-scale felling of apple trees.
“While the deforestation is still underway, it is being reported that 4,000 apple trees on 300 bighas of allegedly encroached land in the Shimla-Rohru apple belt will be cut just two months before the harvest season. Trees have already been cut and even houses sealed in Chaithla, Sarahan and other villages,” said AFFI co-convener and CPI(M) leader Rakesh Singha. PTI BPL RUK RUK
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