Shimla, Jul 15 (PTI) Registering their protest against the ongoing eviction drive in forest areas, particularly the felling of apple trees, the Himachal Pradesh Kisan Sabha and the Himachal Seb Utpadak Sangh has decided to stage a massive protest outside the Himachal Pradesh Secretariat on July 29.

The decision was taken during an emergency meeting that was held in Hatkoti, district Shimla.

Addressing the meeting, Rakesh Singha, the founding member of the All India Apple Farmers Federation (AFFI) said that apples play a vital role in sustaining Himachal's economy and the current destruction of apple trees has jeopardized the lives of lakhs of families.

"Since apple farming provides employment to lakhs of people in the state; the continued destruction of apple orchards raises a critical question, that where will the orchardists go, and how will they survive?" questioned Singha.

He mentioned that out that only 12.7 per cent of Himachal Pradesh's land is cultivable, and if farmers and orchardists are evicted even from this small portion, where will they go? "Neither the state government nor the High Court is addressing this grave concern" he added.

President, Himachal Pradesh Seb Utpadak Sangh, Sohan Thakur called on all farmers and orchardists to unite in the fight to protect their land. If the affected orchardists are serious about this issue and are ready to fight for the restoration and protection of their rights, then the Sangh is fully prepared to stand shoulder to shoulder with the public in this struggle" he said.

The organizations have urged all farmers, orchardists, and the general public to participate in large numbers in the protest.

They also demanded the state government to immediately intervene in this matter by filing a petition until all the legal questions are properly addressed.

Farmers and orchardists who attended the general assembly also voiced their opinions and strongly opposed the orders.

The demand came after the forest department started the eviction drive following last week's orders of the Himachal Pradesh High Court which had expressed concern over the re-emergence of encroachments in the forest area from where the encroachers were evicted / dispossessed earlier.

After the decision, the Forest Department commenced the drive under which hundreds of apple trees grown in encroached land have already been chopped down. PTI CORR DRR DRR

Eviction drive prompting large-scale orchard felling sparks mass protest and calls for government legal intervention. An ongoing eviction drive in forest areas, undertaken after recent High Court orders concerning re emergent encroachments, has led to the felling of apple orchards and threatens the livelihoods of many farming families; farmers' organisations have organised a mass protest and are demanding government legal intervention to protect orchardists' land rights and seek restoration until the legal issues are resolved.