HP farm body, BJP oppose ₹1L fine imposed on apple grower

Shimla: The Sanyukt Kisan Manch and opposition BJP has slammed the Himachal government for slapping a fine of Rs 1 lakh on a farmer from Rohru area for dumping rotten apples in a wastewater stream. Sanyukt Kisan Manch has demanded that the decision of HP State Pollution Control Board to impose the fine should be withdrawn immediately. Sanyukt Kisan Manch co-convener Sanjay Chauhan said that at a time of disaster, when farmers, fruit growers and the general public are facing economic crisis due to crop failure, the decision of the Pollution Control Board is absolutely not justified and is discriminatory.Manch’s convener Harish Chauhan and Sanjay Chauhan in a statement issued on Thursday said that various companies and contractors in the state are openly flouting laws and rules by throwing debris, soil and other types of objectionable substances into rivers, streams and forests, but the Pollution Control Board never takes any action against them.“The board also does not take any concrete action against big players. A vivid example of this is that due to heavy rains and floods this year, huge devastation has been seen near rivers and streams in the state. Due to this, the functioning of the Pollution Control Board has come under suspicion,” they said.Kisan Manch leaders said that if the government does not implement their demand and the Pollution Control Board does not withdraw the discriminatory decision of imposing a fine, then the Sanyukt Kisan Manch will launch the agitation against this decision.On the other hand, BJP state spokesperson Chetan Bragta said that a few days back, a farmer of Shimla district had to throw his apple crop in a water stream because the roads were blocked, but this government started torturing the farmer by politicizing the whole issue. He said that the BJP strongly opposes this move of the government. “We will run a campaign in the entire state and will collect this money/fine from the fruit growers and give it to the government. If the ego of the government is satisfied with this then we will definitely do such work,” he said. He has demanded from the government that if it has even a little sympathy left for the apple growers, then withdraw this “Tughlaqi” decree and focus on solving the problems that fruit growers are facing.