On July 25, around 2,000 farmers gathered in Himachal Pradesh’s remote tribal district of Kinnaur to highlight the threat looming over their land, forests and livelihoods. Against the background of green hills, they thundered chants as local leaders gave rousing speeches. When the assembly dispersed, the farmers were still unsure if they had been heard, whether their demand for the implementation of the Forest Rights Act of 2006 would be met, particularly after a recent High Court order.
The Himachal Pradesh High Court on April 6 had directed the government to evict all “encroachments on forestland” and destroy crops and fruit trees grown on government land. Abiding by the order, the Forest Department and the police started felling farmer’s apple trees, most recently in Shimla district on July 22.
See more at – http://scroll.in/article/747617/polluters-or-protectors-farmers-in-himachal-pradesh-fight-for-their-rights-over-forests
