Srinagar, Oct 8: Kashmir’s tree-felling story is far more extensive than the recent cutting of 14000 Russian poplars. Government records point to lakhs of trees being removed from riverbanks and for infrastructure projects in recent years. The larger question, which remains unasked and unanswered, is: how much green cover has Kashmir lost, and what has actually been restored?
Over 5.84 lakh trees were felled along the Jhelum and its associated water channels in five years. This was as per the official Irrigation and Flood Control Department reply to an RTI. The department had identified 6,32,924 trees as encroachments, and chopped down 5,84,153.
The largest number of trees, 4,79,074, were identified as encroaching between Panzinara and Banyari, and about 90,000 downstream of Sangam gauge hut at Sampora. There were more- thousands and thousands at other stretches.
The felling does not end with the Jhelum.
A compliance report filed by the J&K Government before the National Green Tribunal shows that 82,511 trees were felled for 154 infrastructure projects. The compensatory levies remained outstanding, and a total liability of about Rs 49.07 crore was still outstanding.
Now, recently, in September, the J&K Government told the Legislative Assembly that 14,255 Russian poplar trees had been felled across seven Kashmir districts in three years. Baramulla had 9,954 of its poplars, followed by Pulwama with 1,648, Anantnag 792, Budgam 754, Srinagar 637, Ganderbal 235 and Kulgam 235.
The poplar felling followed restrictions on female Russian poplars. Although the government-constituted committee examining “health issues” related to poplar trees found no established scientific link between poplar pollen and allergies or asthma, yet it assumed that the cotton-like fluff “could” carry dust, fungal spores and pollen and “cause nuisance”. Phased removal of female trees and promotion of male, cotton-free clones was recommended.
Illegal logging, encroachment, unauthorised construction, conversion of land and felling of trees on community land are also contributing to loss of green cover. The scale of such loss of trees is harder to quantify; however, the massive change of land-use that Kashmir has seen over the past decade is proof in itself.
While the government records trees felled for particular projects or purposes, forest diversion attracts compensatory afforestation. However, there is no readily available record that shows how many mature trees have been felled, how much ecological value was lost, how much compensation was assessed and collected.
Government data states that 7.47 crore saplings have been planted under CAMPA (Compensatory Afforestation Fund Management and Planning Authority) since 2010. Over 1.06 lakh hectares have been treated through afforestation. However, compensatory afforestation has a survival of 50-60%.
As of March 2024, J&K CAMPA had Rs 851.65 crore available, while Rs 727.66 crore remained unutilized.
Saplings however, do not replace the value of mature trees. The question, therefore, is not merely how many trees Kashmir is cutting, but whether, apart from felling of trees, the ecological loss is being measured and compensated.
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