Shimla, July 17 -- The large-scale eviction drive in Himachal Pradesh's Kotkhai region escalated further today as the Special Operation Procedure (SOP) team cut down 1,001 apple and pear trees in Village Chaithala of Gram Panchayat Pandali, continuing the High Court-monitored clearance of forest land from illegal encroachments.
Today's action targeted orchards illegally planted on forest land by Satya, Hardayal, Ishan Virendra, Mastram, and Sohan Lal, officials confirmed.
The felling work was completed by 4:45 PM, and authorities reported that law and order remained peaceful throughout the operation despite the sensitive nature of the task.
With Thursday's operation, the total number of trees axed during the six-day drive, which began on...