- विज्ञापन -
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The Supreme Court on Monday stayed the Himachal Pradesh High Court’s July 2, 2025 order to cut apple trees grown on encroached forest land. A bench of Chief Justice BR Gavai, Justice K Vinod Chandran and Justice NV Anjaria passed this order while hearing the petition of former Deputy Mayor Tikendra Singh Panwar and advocate Rajiv Rai.
The petition was filed in the Supreme Court on behalf of the former Deputy Mayor of Shimla Municipal Corporation. The case was argued by Supreme Court lawyer Subhash Chandran. On the other hand, a demonstration will be held at the Secretariat in Shimla on July 29 on behalf of Himachal Kisan Sabha and apple producers on this matter.
During this, the government will be demanded to stop evictions and lockouts, and demolitions of houses.
This was said in the petition
Let us tell you, it has been said in the petition that on July 2, the High Court had ordered the Forest Department to remove the apple orchards and plant forest species in their place and recover its cost from the encroachers as arrears of land revenue. The petitioners say that the said order is arbitrary and inconsistent and against constitutional, legal, and environmental principles, which requires the intervention of the apex court to prevent irreversible ecological and socio-economic damage in ecologically fragile Himachal Pradesh.
The petition states that large-scale felling of trees, especially during the monsoon season, significantly increases the risk of landslides and soil erosion in Himachal. Himachal Pradesh is an area of seismic activity and ecological sensitivity.
The petition states, apple orchards are not mere encroachments, but they contribute to soil stability, provide habitat for local wildlife and are the backbone of the state’s economy and support the livelihood of thousands of farmers.
