Apple farmers protest in Himachal against eviction from forest land
On Tuesday, hundreds of apple growers gathered outside the Himachal Pradesh secretariat, protesting government orders to clear orchards from forest and government land.
The demonstration came after the Supreme Court paused a High Court directive to remove these orchards, giving farmers a temporary breather.
Protesters demand land regularization
Many of these farmers rely on small plots for their livelihood and say they're being pushed out without fair process—some are even below the poverty line or widows.
Protesters want their land regularized under existing laws instead of being evicted overnight.
As CPI(M) leader Rakesh Singha put it, eviction without due process isn't justice.
The standoff spotlights a bigger issue: how to protect both forests and vulnerable communities who depend on them in Himachal's apple belt.