Shimla’s Kotkhai faces major Forest eviction drive: 750 Apple trees axed on encroached land
Old photo. Used for indicative purpose only
Shimla, July 13,
In a decisive move that signals a zero-tolerance approach to forest land encroachment, over 750 apple and pear trees were felled in Himachal Pradesh’s Kotkhai region on Saturday under a tightly monitored operation led by the Special Operation Procedure (SOP) team.
The high-impact action forms part of a broader crackdown initiated after a Himachal Pradesh High Court directive issued on July 2, 2025, ordering the removal of all illegal orchards raised on encroached forest land across the state. The court’s order came amid concerns about recurring violations by individuals reoccupying evicted forest patches, prompting a stricter enforcement push.
Saturday’s operation began with the removal of 93 apple trees reportedly planted by Dinesh Tajta, followed by the cutting down of 664 apple and pear trees on land occupied by Pratap Chauhan, who officials allege has encroached on nearly 20 bighas of forest area. Authorities confirmed that the remaining trees on this illegal stretch will be cleared in the next phase scheduled for Sunday.
Importantly, this drive marks a shift in the enforcement pattern—moving from routine warnings and notices to irreversible ground-level actions. The court has also mandated that the costs of such operations, including stump removal and replanting native forest species, be recovered from violators as arrears of land revenue.
Strict security protocols were in place throughout the Kotkhai region to prevent any unrest, with police and district administration teams ensuring a peaceful execution of the operation. No resistance was reported from locals during the tree-felling.
The crackdown followed preventive measures taken by the District Magistrate earlier in the week, including a ban on carrying firearms in Village Chaithla under Section 163 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS), 2023. The ban, prompted by past confrontations during similar drives, will remain in effect until July 18. All licensed firearms in the area were deposited with local law enforcement as per official orders.
This is not just a local issue—it reflects a statewide challenge in Himachal Pradesh, where forest encroachment has grown into a deeply entrenched problem. Kotkhai, known for its high-altitude apple orchards, has long witnessed blurred lines between agricultural expansion and forest conservation. With this renewed legal push, state authorities are aiming to restore the ecological sanctity of sensitive forest belts.
As the forest department works in tandem with enforcement agencies, the High Court’s directive is finally translating into ground-level compliance. The Kotkhai action could set a precedent for similar clean-up operations in other parts of the state where re-encroachment has continued despite earlier evictions.
Whether this momentum can be sustained and whether reforestation can replace illegal orchards with native tree cover remains a test for Himachal’s ecological governance in the coming months.
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The HimachalScape Bureau comprises seasoned journalists from Himachal Pradesh with over 25 years of experience in leading media conglomerates such as The Times of India and United News of India. Known for their in-depth regional insights, the team brings credible, research-driven, and balanced reportage on Himachal’s socio-political and developmental landscape.