Shimla, March 19 -- The Himachal Pradesh Government on Tuesday assured strict action against illegal importers of uncertified and non-quarantined apple rootstocks, which pose a serious threat to the state's Rs 5,000-crore apple economy. The issue sparked a heated discussion during the ongoing budget session of the Vidhan Sabha, with legislators expressing concern over the risk of virus infections in local apple orchards. Horticulture and Revenue Minister Jagat Singh Negi informed the House that the government had already launched a crackdown on illegal plant imports. "In 2023-24, we destroyed 2.95 lakh non-quarantined saplings from 25 vehicles. This year, four large containers carrying 68,000 uncertified plants have been seized and destroye...