Yograj Sharma
The North News
Shimla, July 16
Himachal Pradesh Education Minister Rohit Thakur on Wednesday sharply criticised the ongoing felling of apple trees on forest land in Shimla, calling the move “inappropriate” and vowing to raise the matter directly with Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu. The campaign targets apple orchards planted illegally on forest department land in the upper reaches of Shimla district. However, it has triggered strong backlash, with local orchardists announcing a protest scheduled for July 29.
Thakur, who represents the apple-rich constituency of Jubbal-Kotkhai, said that while the action may be legally justified, its timing was deeply flawed. “The monsoon is for planting, not felling,” he said. “These are fruit-bearing trees. From both an environmental and humanitarian point of view, this is not the right time, ” he said.
He drew parallels with a similar situation during the Congress government led by Virbhadra Singh in 2015. At the time, a decision was taken not to act against orchards on holdings below five bighas. That policy, Thakur noted, was never implemented after the BJP came to power in 2017. Calling the matter “painful,” Thakur urged that small orchardists and marginal farmers be spared from such operations. “Relief must be granted to those owning less than five bighas. These are families who depend entirely on their orchards for survival,” he said.
Separately, Thakur announced a ban on constructing school buildings near rivers and streams, citing increased vulnerability following the devastating floods and landslides of 2023. “Cloudbursts are becoming more frequent. Areas near water bodies are no longer safe. This directive should extend beyond the education department,” he said.
He also launched a scathing attack on the central government for delaying disaster relief funds. “Himachal Pradesh needed financial help in 2023. But the funds are coming in 2025—when they are no longer of immediate use,” he said. Thakur revealed that ten schools were completely destroyed in last year’s disaster. Temporary classrooms are now being set up in rented buildings, and he plans to visit the Seraj region to review rehabilitation efforts.
