Education Minister Rohit Thakur defends Apple growers, slams tree felling during harvest as ill-timed
Shimla, July 16,
Himachal Pradesh Education Minister Rohit Thakur has voiced strong opposition to the ongoing eviction drive targeting apple trees planted on forest department land in upper Shimla, calling the action “ill-timed and inhumane” during the peak harvesting season.
Thakur, who is also the MLA from Jubbal-Kotkhai — a key apple belt in the state — said the cutting of trees is being carried out under court orders, but its timing is deeply problematic. “This move is painful for small orchardists. Monsoon is the time for new plantation, and right now, the apple crop is ready to be harvested. Removing trees at this stage is neither practical nor humane,” he said, addressing media persons on Tuesday.
He further said that he would take up the matter with Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu and seek relief for small farmers who own less than five bighas of land. Thakur pointed out that in 2015, the then Congress government led by Virbhadra Singh had introduced a policy to protect such small landholdings from eviction and tree felling. However, that policy was discontinued after the change of government in 2017.
The Himachal Apple Growers Association has already declared a statewide protest against the eviction drive, claiming that hundreds of apple and pear trees have been axed in areas like Kotkhai and Chaithla over the past few days. The issue has sparked widespread discontent among horticulturists who argue that such actions, especially during the fruiting season, deal a severe blow to their livelihoods.
On a separate issue, the Education Minister informed that the state government has prohibited construction of school buildings near rivers and streams in the wake of repeated disasters triggered by cloudbursts and flash floods. “Following last year’s devastation, we have decided that not only the Education Department but all departments must avoid any construction activity near water bodies,” he said.
Thakur also criticised the Central government for delays in disaster relief assistance to the state. “Himachal needed help in 2023, but the funds are arriving now, in 2025. Timely aid during a crisis is crucial. Delayed support defeats the very purpose of disaster relief,” he remarked.
Highlighting the educational infrastructure losses during last year’s monsoon calamity, Thakur revealed that around ten government schools were completely damaged. He assured that all such institutions will soon resume functioning in rented private buildings to ensure continuity in learning for affected students.
The ongoing apple tree felling drive and concerns over disaster preparedness have once again brought the focus back on the need for sensitive policy-making in hill states like Himachal Pradesh, where environmental and livelihood challenges are deeply intertwined.
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