Asif Iqbal Naik
Early Times Report
Kishtwar, May 21: Despite the high court directions, divisional forest officer, social forestry, Kishtwar, has failed to remove hundreds of Russian popular tress in in the district, particularly in and around key government offices and schools situated in the heart of town.
Some senior citizens had on August 13, 2015 approach then deputy commissioner, Kishtwar, and submitted a memorandum demanding the implementation of high court orders with regard to cutting o all Russian popular trees as these were hazardous to health and source of various diseases. The DC vide letter No DCK/Adm/15/1708 of August 13, 2015 directed the DFO, social forestry, Kishtwar, to take immediate steps for cutting of popular trees to avoid the outbreak of any disease and keep the environment of the district neat and clean.
"Senior citizens of Kishtwar have submitted me a representation for removal of Russian popular Trees. In this connection, it is intimated that there are hundreds of Russian popular trees inside government premises, like Higher Secondary School for Boys, Kishtwar, ITI, Kishtwar, and some other places. Environment of the district has been polluted because of such trees and various health problems are also spreading in the whole district," read DC's order. Those who had called on DC included Jai Lal Shan, O P Parihar (President Bar Association, Kishtwar), retired DC Khurshid Ahmed Butt, Manmohan Gupta, Nirdosh Parihar, Sheikh Nasir Hussain, Naveed Khurshid Dev and Touqeer Mushtaq.
While talking to Early Times, Shan said that despite clear cut directions of the court, the administration had failed to pull the social forestry department for its failure in implementing court directions. He said that hundreds of students studying in HSS Boys, HSS Girls, ITI Kishtwar, Degree College Kishtwar, City Middle School Girls, City Middle School Boys and the people living in these areas including areas like Dak Banglow Kishwar, Asraria Road, around Kishtwar Chowgan ground and other areas of Kishtwar had fallen prey to various diseases caused by these popular trees and demanded immediate removal of all popular trees.
Syed Ahmed Shah, a senior citizen, said that he had approached different quarters for last two years for removal of popular trees around Chowgan ground and outside Dak Banglow Kishtwar, but to his disappointment nothing was done in this regard so far by the concern department. He said that there were more than 600 Russian popular trees within Kishtwar Municipal Limits, but despite the lapse of several months, these trees continue to pollute the atmosphere of Kishtwar town and its adjoining areas. He said that these Russian Popular trees had taken lot of space in and around Dak Banlow Kishtwar added that same could be used for parking of vehicles to avoid frequent traffic jamming in the area.
When contacted, DC, Kishtwar, Ghulam Nabi Balwan said that administration had already constituted a committee of officials for removal of banned popular trees and said that process of cutting of these trees would be started in next few days. |
