A delegation from the 'Seb Utpadak Sangh', led by former MLA Rakesh Singha, called on Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu today to apprise him of their various demands.
Speaking to reporters in Shimla ahead of the commencement of a four-day cabinet meeting, CM Sukhu said that anyone who insults the Indian National Flag will not be spared.
With the apple season kicking off early this year, traders at the Dhalli vegetable market in Shimla say farmers are earning between Rs 2,000 to Rs 5,000 per 20-kg box, depending on quality and ripeness.
Calling the green felling "environmentally disastrous" and contrary to the principles of ecological conservation. Negi told ANI, "Nowhere in the country is green felling permitted. Eviction of illegal encroachments is being carried out, but cutting decades-old fruit-bearing trees is not just
Residents from several affected villages, along with members of farmers' and civil rights organisations, staged a strong protest outside the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) office in Shimla on Wednesday.
In a press conference held in Shimla on Monday, the Himachal Kisan Sabha and the Himachal Seb Utpadak Sangh demanded an immediate halt to the felling of apple trees and called for proper demarcation of land instead of mass clearances.
"One of them is the Dharampur-Kotli route, and the other is National Highway 21 (NH-5). Some portions have been reopened, but landslides and rockslides continue to disrupt access. The situation is dynamic--routes are being cleared but get blocked again due to falling debris," Negi said.
The Himachal Pradesh Tourism Development Corporation (HPTDC) has urged the state government to reconsider its Cabinet decision to outsource operations and management of 14 loss-making hotels, saying a thorough viability study is essential before taking such a step.
Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Thakur Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu on Sunday expressed grief over the tragic road accident that occurred near Raninalah in Manali, district Kullu, resulting in the death of four people.