Supreme Court Halts Apple Tree Felling in Himachal Pradesh: A Lifeline for Farmers Amid Protests


Background: High Court Order Triggers Panic During Peak Apple Harvest

On July 2, 2025, the Himachal Pradesh High Court issued a directive ordering the removal of apple trees planted on encroached forest and government lands across the state, especially in Shimla district. This order, implemented during the peak apple harvesting season, triggered widespread distress among apple farmers and orchard owners.

Petition Filed: Apex Court Grants Interim Relief

The Supreme Court of India has now granted an interim stay on the felling of apple trees, responding to a petition filed by Tikender Singh Panwar, an environmentalist and former Deputy Mayor of Shimla. Panwar argued that the ongoing removal of fruit-bearing trees was “unscientific, anti-farmer, inhumane, and environmentally disastrous.”

Farmer organizations across Himachal welcomed the stay as partial relief and are now intensifying their protests to ensure broader protection for farmers' livelihoods.


Farmers' Voices: Right to Livelihood Under Article 21

According to Sanjay Chauhan, Convener of the Himachal Pradesh Apple Growers Association, the issue goes beyond trees. “This is about the right to livelihood, food, shelter, and dignity under Article 21 of the Constitution,” Chauhan said, warning that 3.5 to 4 lakh families, or 15 to 20 lakh people, could be affected if the High Court’s original order is implemented in full.

He highlighted how trees were removed arbitrarily, without considering that they were in peak fruit-bearing stage, and condemned the economic and human rights cost of the felling operation.

Land Rights, Forest Occupation, and Regularisation Demands

Farmers’ associations, including the Apple Growers Association and Himachal Kisan Sabha, are demanding:

  • Regularisation of long-term occupations of forest and public land

  • Minimum allotment of 5 bighas to landless farmers

  • Protection of small homes and shops on 1-2 biswa plots

  • Ground-level implementation of the Forest Rights Act, 2006 (FRA)

  • Amendment to the Forest Conservation Act, 1980 (FCA) to suit the unique landscape of Himalayan states

In December 2024, the Himachal Pradesh Government passed a resolution under Rule 102 to push these reforms, but implementation remains stalled.

Human Cost: Homes Demolished, Trees Felled, Families Displaced

Farmers and activists claim the current wave of land-clearing operations has led to:

  • 4,500 apple trees cut down, resulting in the loss of 35,000–40,000 apple boxes

  • Estimated economic damage of Rs 400–500 crore

  • Demolition of homes, including 13 Dalit families in Nagrota Surian, Kangra district, whose houses were razed despite generational residence

Chauhan termed it a “brutal economic assault on the poor” and emphasized that the damage is irreversible, both economically and socially.

The Struggle Ahead: July 29 Protest at Himachal Secretariat

Farmer groups have called for a mass protest on Monday, July 29, outside the Himachal Pradesh Secretariat in Shimla, with demands including:

  • Immediate halt to demolition and sealing of homes

  • Legal land rights for poor, Dalit, and disaster-hit families

  • Implementation of FRA 2006 and amendment to FCA 1980

  • Guaranteed minimum land allotment to landless farmers

Chauhan has declared that this is not a token protest: “If needed, we will sit indefinitely. This is not just about apple trees. It is a struggle for survival, dignity, and justice.”

Legal and Policy Implications: A National-Level Precedent?

The petition filed in the Supreme Court has national ramifications for:

  • Land use policy in hilly and forested states

  • Forest rights enforcement in tribal and rural communities

  • Environmental protection versus economic livelihood balance

  • Potential legal precedents under Articles 14, 19, and 21 of the Constitution

Until the final order is issued by the Supreme Court, the fate of thousands of farmers remains in limbo — but the temporary stay is a significant step in ensuring constitutional justice over procedural legality.


Location: Pune, Maharashtra, India

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