GREEN IS SRINAGAR

         Less green cover in city will create problems if not addressed: experts

          Div comm says will plant more trees

QAYOOM MADNI

Srinagar: The green cover of Srinagar is fading. As the roads widen, commercial complexes come-up and agricultural land is converted into buildings, more and more trees are cut. Experts warn of serious consequences if the trend continues.

“Srinagar city has less plants and this is a serious issue which have long term implications,” said Akhter Hussain, curator Plant Taxonomy at Kashmir University. “This may increase temperature, noise pollution and increase carbon dioxide in the environment thus leading to unstable environment”.

A tree appears hardly visible in Old Town and Batmaloo area of the city, while as fewer trees can be seen in a small stretches between Dalgate to Sheri-Kashmir Park and in VIP area of Gupkar.

And even as the green cover is already low, Scientists warn of another problem. “Though government planted trees but they were not the native ones,” says Hussain. “Unfortunately government is planting willow and poplar trees which are exotic and non-native. They plant female poplar trees which produces cotton that carries fungus and bacteria and after inhaling can lead to illness and respiratory problems”.

Scientists say that the government should take expert advice and plant only native species. “Deodar is our native plant and is ever green. In summers it looks soothing to eyes and in winters majestic and will be a major attraction for tourists,” Hussain said. “If we will plant deodars in Srinagar city in ten years we will call Srinagar ‘city of deodars’”.

The lack of plantation in Srinagar also surprises the tourists who have a different impression of the city when they arrive here. “Kashmir government should plant more and more trees in this city to make it look more attractive and beautiful,” said Steven Kente, a tourist from Denmark.

When contacted Divisional Commissioner Kashmir, Asgar Samoon admitted that there is less green cover in city as compared to Delhi and other cities. He said that the government mulls to plant more trees in the city. “Yesterday, we have created a chain group to make people aware about the environment in Srinagar city and three lakh deodars will be planted in the city once the appropriate places are found,” he said.

Samoon also blamed the concerned departments for it. “Here landscape division is only after tulip garden and the environment and forest department were planting trees only in jungles and not in city,” he said. “However this time, I took notice of it and have directed them to plant trees in city also.”

The Divisional Commissioner also accused people of overlooking environmental concerns. “People only demand macadam in Srinagar city and no one is asking to plant trees,” he said. “We have fewer trees in old town and batmaloo area owing to paucity of land and this is a dangerous trend.”