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Despite HC orders Govt fails to cut Russian poplar trees across Kashmir | | | S Tahir-ul Haq
Early Times Report SRINAGAR, May 16: Despite the repeated directions of High Court the state government has failed to chop off Russian poplar trees across the Kashmir valley, putting the lives of common masses at risk. Sources told Early Times that during the previous year, the local administration had imposed a blanket ban on plantation of Russian poplar trees in the summer capital of Jammu & Kashmir, keeping in view the large scale complaints of allergy being caused by its pollen. "Hundreds of poplar trees were chopped off, but thousands of Russian trees which were planted in government nurseries and other places have not been chopped off yet, due to which people including children are falling ill," said sources. Sources quoting the High Court order of 5-5-2015 said that the Court had asked the Tehsildars concerned would be personally responsible for ensuring compliance of orders passed by the Deputy Commissioners with regard to removal of the poplars of Russian trees across the Kashmir valley. "It is a common knowledge that pollen seed of Poplars is adversely affecting health of general public, mostly elderly people and children. The pollen seed of these trees has given rise to chest diseases in Kashmir, which can become life threatening for them," sources said while quoting the Court order. Nisar Ahmad, a resident of Bemina said that pollen falling from these trees had become a major source of allergies in the city and had reached alarming proportions. This view has been endorsed by the experts as well and was admitted by the concerned authorities too. "The High Court had ordered for cutting of the Russian poplar trees in Kashmir valley, but at many places government has not honored the court orders and violated the order in implementing it," said Nisar. A group of people from Baramulla district said that in government horticulture nursery, Khawaja Bagh there are hundreds of poplar trees which have not been cut yet. The same has come up as serious concern to the masses of this area. Bashir Ahmad a local farmer said, "The flowers appear in spring season when trees are still leafless and the poplar is wind pollinated causes allergy in eyes and chest." Zahoor Ahmad, a local of Bandipora said that the proportion of poplar trees is growing at an alarming rate in Kashmir valley and it causes allergies in children and old aged people. It is pertinent to mention here that, the Russian poplar was introduced in Kashmir in 1980s under the Social Forestry Scheme in view of its fast growth. |
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