Preserve J&K‘s Green Gold

Trees are considered to be important part of eco-system. Jammu and Kashmir is blessed with different species of trees. However, in absence of proper planning, trees are being felled extensively to pave the way for developmental projects, especially construction and expansion of roads.
Trees take years to grow.

Loss of even a tree cannot be compensated at any cost. But the is such that wanton felling of trees is taking place across J&K. Given the growing population and increase in the number of vehicles, expansion of roads is important, but it shouldn’t be at the cost of trees.

It is shocking that more than 1.10 lakh trees of Apple, Chinar, Walnut, Mulberry have been chopped down to pave way for construction of Srinagar Ring Road, as per a reply to an RTI application. More than the economic value of these chopped trees, their environmental value is far greater.

Estimated at Rs 939.41 crore, the  42.10 km project traverses through 52 villages in five districts, including Pulwama, Budgam, Baramulla, Srinagar and Bandipora—which are dotted with trees. In the race of ensuring traffic flow, we are losing green gold and natural oxygen plants.

With no major plantation drives in sight, wanton felling of green trees will have serious repercussions in future. Some of the indicators of vandalisation of trees and environment are clearly visible in J&K. We are witnessing an erratic climate. From being flood prone, J&K has turned drought prone.

Not surprisingly, despite being blessed with abundant water resources, we are struggling with a drinking water shortage. Who is responsible? It is the planners who lack vision to protect our natural resources at the cost of so-called development. There is hardly any concept of sustainable development in J&K.

We need to learn lessons on how trees are saved in other places. Transplanting trees is emerging as a viable option where road expansion or undertaking developmental works is unavoidable and mandatory.

Earlier this year, transplantation of 1025 Banyan trees along Sant Tukaram Maharaj Palkhi Marg in Maharashtra was done successfully  
In 2022, the Union Minister for Road Transport and Highways, Nitin Gadkari started ambitious transplantation project along the Sant Tukaram Maharaj Palkhi Marg in Maharashtra located on the Baramati-Indapur section of NH 965G. The aim of the project was to preserve the environment and Banyan trees which are known for their immense ecological, cultural and aesthetic values.

During the transplantation project, a team of experts successfully transplanted 1,025 Banyan trees to the edge of the Right of Way (ROW). 85 percent of these trees survived. Environmentalists have to join hands to save these precious trees.

Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation’s (BMC) move to cut trees around Hanging Gardens in Malabar Hill drew strong resentment from people. BMC had placed notices on 389 trees proposed to be cut and transplanted for reconstructing the Malabar Hill reservoir.

Famous film actor Juhi Chawla too resisted the move to cut trees and urged authorities to come up with alternative solutions. Following public outcry, the felling of trees has been suspended and the government is exploring other options than felling trees. This is the power of concerned citizens while we have closed our eyes to murder of trees.

Delhi government has accorded sanction to cut and transplant 6,600 trees for construction of the Urban Extension Road-II (UER-II) project, also known as the third Ring Road of Delhi. As per the Delhi government’s Transplantation Policy, 80 percent of 6600 trees will be transplanted along the proposed corridor.

Besides, the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) will undertake compensatory afforestation on 54.87 hectares of deemed forest land diverted for the project from the Delhi Development Authority (DDA).

The Delhi government has granted approval to the Central Public Works Department (CPWD) to transplant 173 trees from the site of the proposed executive enclave under the Central Vista redevelopment project.

The approval was granted on the condition that CPWD will take up plantation of 10 times the number of trees being transplanted to maintain ecological balance of the national capital.

The enclave will include the Prime Minister’s Office, India House, Cabinet Secretariat and National Security Council Secretariat.
In Kolkata, more than 700 full-grown trees will be transplanted for the underground Kidderpore-Esplanade section of the Joka-Esplanade corridor.

The trees are proposed to be transplanted in barren stretches of the Maidan before construction of the Metro begins.
Last month, environmentalists in Dehradun raised objections to chopping of trees for developmental projects, especially road widening of Sahastradhara road.

Even the felling and transplantation of trees on this stretch was approved by the Government. Following the outcry by locals, tree felling in the area was halted and now there is clamour for change in road alignment.

Union Home Minister Amit Shah recently rightly stated that environmental protection was possible only by planting trees.
“A tree planted today would provide oxygen to many future generations. Increasing pollution, the ozone layer was being damaged, and as a result, in the future, solar rays would directly impact the Earth, due to which the Earth would not remain safe for human life.

The only way to prevent such a scenario was by planting as many trees as possible and reducing the emission of carbon dioxide,” the Home Minister stated.

Back in eco-fragile J&K, there is a need to ensure protection of existing trees as far as possible. Given the massive damage to J&K’s forests in the past several decades, it is high time to go for massive plantations.

Owing to its unique topography, we must understand that J&K is prone to natural disasters. It has a history of earthquakes, floods, landslides and an off-late erratic climate. The problem is compounded by fast receding glaciers and deterioration of water bodies.

The Union Environment Ministry earlier this year formulated Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) in the aftermath of Joshimath crisis in Uttarakhand where thousands of people have been rendered homeless due to cracks in their houses following caving in of the foundations.

The J & K government too stated that it will implement the SOP on mandatory disaster management plans, risk assessment and eco-fragility studies in development projects especially construction of highways, roads and tunnels within 100 km of the International Border (IB) or the Line of Control (LoC). The situation demands that the SOP must apply to the whole J&K.

We need to conduct an Environment Impact Assessment before starting any developmental project. Instead of felling trees, we need to explore options to transplant trees coming in the way of road projects or change alignment. It is the duty of stakeholders, especially environmentalists, to wake up to save trees and other natural resources.

Author is Executive Editor, Greater Kashmir