Withdraw Rs 1 lakh fine on apple grower who had thrown rotten apple into stream: BJP, Sanyukt Kisan Manch
Shimla, September 7
The BJP and the Sanyukt Kisan Manch (SKM) have slammed the Himachal Pradesh Pollution Control Board for slapping a fine of Rs 1 lakh on an apple grower, who had thrown rotten apple into a stream in July.
While the SKM has urged the government to withdraw the notice sent by Pollution Control Board to the grower, BJP spokesperson Chetan Bragta said the party would start a campaign to collect Rs 1 lakh from apple growers to pay the fine. “If the government has some sympathy left for the growers, it should immediately take back this order,” he said.
Meanwhile, the SKM said that the Pollution Control Board decision was wrong and biased, especially at a time when the growers were facing serious economic crisis due to substantial damage to the crop. “Contractors and companies are blatantly throwing muck and other hazardous material into forests and nullahs, but they were not being penalised. So singling out one farmer for punishment is wrong and questionable,” said the SKM, adding it would launch an agitation if the order was not withdrawn.
The apple grower, Yashwant Thakur, had thrown his rotten apple into the stream in July following heavy rain. He was caught on camera while throwing apple into the stream. The video went viral on social media and it snowballed into a major political fight between the government and the Opposition, with the former accusing the BJP of misleading people.
