3 Railway projects halted after Kashmiri farmers' Chipko Movement to save 7 lakh apple trees

Railways Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw announced that proposed railway projects through South Kashmir have been halted due to the possibility of damage to seven lakh apple trees. The proposed lines Sopore-Kupwara, Awantipora-Shopian and Anantnag-Bijbehara-Pahalgam fell under major apple-producing regions. Farmers had launched protests like the Chipko Movement, hugging apple trees as a mark of protest.