Yog Raj Sharma
The North News
Shimla, July 19
The Himachal Pradesh government is set to approach the Supreme Court seeking a stay on the felling of apple trees growing on encroached forest land, saying the action during the monsoon season could cause environmental harm and disrupt livelihoods. The decision was taken during a high-powered committee meeting chaired by state Horticulture and Revenue Minister Jagat Singh Negi. The government will challenge a High Court order that permitted the removal of these trees as part of an anti-encroachment drive.
Minister Negi said the government is not against removing illegal encroachments but objected to tree felling during the rainy season. “Cutting trees in this weather can lead to soil erosion and ecological imbalance. There is also no clarity on where to dispose of the felled trees,” he said.
The state will also file a petition under the ongoing Godavarman case, a key forest conservation matter in the Supreme Court. Himachal Pradesh is expected to seek relief under the Forest Conservation Act (FCA), 1980, arguing that states with difficult terrain and horticulture-based livelihoods require special consideration. The state has also urged the Centre to amend the FCA to allow for greater flexibility in such cases.
Separately, Negi appealed to landless individuals living on forest land to take advantage of the Forest Rights Act, 2006, to legalise their traditional claims. He said many eligible residents were unaware of the process and had not submitted claims. Negi also accused the central government of discrimination in disaster relief funding. He said that out of the ₹1,500 crore sanctioned for the 2023 disaster, only a part had been received. “The Centre has said the remaining funds will only be released once the state first spends ₹500 crore,” he alleged.
The government has directed the Advocate General to file the necessary petitions in the Supreme Court in the coming days.
