Shimla, Dec. 17 -- The Himachal Pradesh Kisan Sabha on Wednesday welcomed the Supreme Court's decision setting aside the High Court order that had directed felling of apple trees standing on forest land, terming the verdict a major victory for small and marginal farmers of the hill state.
Reacting to the ruling, leaders of the Kisan Sabha said the apex court's intervention has restored hope and justice to thousands of orchardists whose livelihoods were under threat.
They particularly welcomed the direction of the Chief Justice of India asking the State government to formulate a policy for providing land to marginal and deprived farmers and to place it before the Central government for approval.
The Kisan Sabha president, Kuldeep Singh Ta...