Yog Raj Sharma
The North News
Shimla, January 19
Hundreds of farmers and apple growers have staged a protest outside the Himachal Pradesh Secretariat in Shimla, demanding action on land rights, import duties on foreign apples and the implementation of the Land Acquisition Act, 2013. Under the banners of the Himachal Kisan Sabha and the Apple Growers’ Association, protesters marched from the Tolland area to the Secretariat, raising slogans against the state government. The demonstration led to traffic disruption in parts of the city as farmers sat on a dharna outside the complex.
The protesters are pressing a 14-point charter of demands, including an increase in import duty on foreign apples, allocation of five bighas of land to landless farmers, fixing the minimum price of milk at ₹60 per litre, and proper implementation of the Land Acquisition Act, 2013.
Farmer leader and former MLA Rakesh Singha said the Supreme Court had directed governments to frame a policy to provide land to poor and marginal farmers. He said the court issued the order on 16 December, but alleged that no action had been taken even after more than a month.
Mr Singha warned that farmers and orchardists would intensify their agitation if the government failed to give concrete assurances. He added that the demands of milk producers and disaster-affected families must also be addressed.
The protest leaders also accused hydropower company SJVNL of exploiting the state, describing it as a “second looter” of Himachal Pradesh. They demanded the withdrawal of smart electricity meters, saying farmers were unable to pay inflated power bills.
Concerns were also raised over the reported discontinuation of ₹1,500 crore assistance under the Market Intervention Scheme (MIS), for which both the state and central governments were blamed. The protesters further alleged arbitrariness in four-lane highway construction projects and demanded justice for those affected.
The farmers said the protest would continue until the government provides firm assurances on all their demands.
