HP: CM may move SC amid apple felling issue

Shimla: Amid mounting pressure, Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu on Thursday signalled that the state government may move the Supreme Court to seek relief for apple growers facing eviction from forest land, as directed by the Himachal Pradesh High Court.

More than 3,800 healthy apple trees, laden with fruit, have been cut down by the forest department at village Chaithla in the Kotkhai area of Shimla district just ahead of the harvest time.

Before this, horticulture minister Jagat Singh Negi had expressed his inability to grant relief to the farmers regarding the felling of apple trees, citing the High Court orders and provisions of the Forest Conservation Act 1980. On Wednesday, the state government had informed the high court that nearly 300 bighas of forest land had been cleared of apple trees, illegally planted by the orchardists.

However, on return from Delhi, Sukhu said the government is not in favour of the felling of fruit-laden apple trees.

“We requested the high court’s intervention to allow time for the state government to either harvest the crop or auction it. We will see if we can approach the Supreme Court,” he hinted.

He said a meeting will be convened with the horticulture minister, Jagat Singh Negi and other senior officers soon soon to explore the legal aspects.