Old photo. Used for indicative purpose only
Shimla, July 14,
Himachal Pradesh Government has rebutted allegations over the recent cutting of apple and other fruit orchards in Upper Shimla, asserting that the action followed legal directives and that the state is actively addressing the issue on humanitarian grounds.
Revenue and Horticulture Minister Jagat Singh Negi, in a statement issued here today, clarified that the eviction of orchards from forest land in Chaithala village of Kotkhai was carried out on the orders of the High Court.
“Those questioning the action should understand the legal framework. The High Court had passed its order in January this year,” said Negi.
The minister added that the state government had filed a plea seeking a stay on the felling of trees, but the court dismissed it. “Forest Rights Act (FRA) and encroachment laws are separate. FRA has been in force since 2008, yet many failed to file their claims in time. Hence, there is no contradiction in the government’s approach,” he stated.
Negi explained that the eviction case of 32 residents of Chaithala was pursued through due process — from the Divisional Forest Officer (DFO) to the SDM and Divisional Commissioner — eventually leading to the High Court’s intervention.
Refuting the Leader of Opposition Jai Ram Thakur’s criticism over the pace of relief and rehabilitation, Negi said, “This is no time for politics. The state has deployed over 50 machines in the Seraj area. Due to persistent rains, road restoration is taking time.”
He emphasized that the Chief Minister and other senior ministers have visited the disaster-hit regions. “We are providing Rs 7 lakh to those whose houses are completely damaged, whereas the Centre offers only Rs 1.5 lakh,” he said.
Pointing to the disparity in central assistance, Negi recalled that while the Centre provided Rs 2 lakh ex-gratia in the Vadodara bridge tragedy, no special relief has yet been extended for the 98 lives lost in Himachal Pradesh’s calamity
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