Shimla, July 15 -- In a significant development in the ongoing litigation concerning forest land encroachments, the Himachal Pradesh high court reaffirmed its earlier order directing the state to remove all apple orchards raised on encroached government and forest lands across the state.

In its July 14 order, the HC clarified that the directive for removal of apple orchards applies uniformly to all encroachments and not just those where individuals are attempting to reoccupy vacated forest land.

The clarification comes amid confusion over the scope of the court's July 2, 2025, directive, following which the advocate general had submitted that eviction actions were being conducted only in cases where encroachers were reasserting possessi...