Tilting At Poplar Trees

Poplar is not behind the spike in allergy cases in Kashmir, yet the tree is being felled.

- Zehra Mohammad

AN ORDER passed by the High Court of Jammu and Kashmir on May 12, 2015, is likely to change the landscape of the state. The court had ordered felling of the female species of all “Russian” poplar trees and banned growing poplar in the state. The species, introduced in the 1980s under a World Bank-aided social forestry initiative, now dominates the state’s skyline. Though there are no official figures, estimates say that the tree constitutes a third of the state’s tree population.

Over the past decade, media reports have blamed the tree for triggering allergies and respiratory ailments in the months of April and May when it releases showers of seed. In one of its observations, the court noted, “It is a common knowledge that pollen seed of Poplars is adversely affecting health of general public, mostly of 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.” The court also ordered a scientific investigation into whether the tree was responsible for the large-scale allergy cases. The Directorate of Health Services and S K Institute of Medical Sciences, Srinagar, were entrusted with the responsibility.

Following the court order, the government started felling poplar trees in 2015, but the intermittent political unrest in the state slowed down the process in 2016. This year felling has started in Anantnag, Budgam, Srinagar and Kupwara. Though state-wide figures are not available, in Anantnag and Kulgam around 0.7 million and 0.2 million poplars have been felled since 2015, as per data provided by the district administrations. The state has 22 districts.

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