The Gujarat government has abolished the planting of Conocarpus trees in “forest and non-forest regions”. The government cites the reason for this is their negative impact on the environment and human health”.
The Conocarpus plant is a type of mangrove that grows very quickly. In recent years, this species has been selected to increase the country’s green cover.
A circular was issued on Tuesday in which SK Chaturvedi, Principal Chief Conservator of Forests and Warden of Forests spoke about the need to restrict the growth of Conocarpus species.
Other countries
The Conocarpus plant is not only banned in Gujarat but also in the state of Telangana. Apart from this, there were many other plants whose growth was removed by many states of India. For example, Kerala and Delhi have tried to restrict the growth of non-indigenous trees which have actually harmed the local flora and fauna due to their sheer numbers.
The story of Gujarat
On September 26, Tuesday, S K. Chaturvedi spoke about the need to restrict the growth of Conocarpus through circular.
“Research reports have highlighted the adverse impacts/disadvantages of this species on the environment and human health… Trees of this species flower in winter and spread pollen in nearby areas. It has been found to cause diseases like cold, cough, asthma, allergy, etc.,” Chaturvedi said.
Another reason to get away with the Conocarpus plant is that its leaves are unpalatable to animals that eat the plants.
The story of Delhi
In 2018, after years of complaints, the Delhi government decided to limit the growth of Vilayati Kikar. The Prosopis juliflora or Vilayati Kikar is a species not indigenous to Delhi. In fact, the British brought the plant to Delhi in the 1930s. The tree grows super fast, even in dry conditions. This makes it a suitable choice for a super-fast increase in the green cover of the region. It can also be used as firewood. The problem with the power plant, however, is that it also eliminates the possibility of competition. Therefore, in just one decade, it occupied almost part of the area of the Central Ridge, and native trees such as, for example, remained here. dhak, amaltas, kadamb, and more could be grown. In addition, the tree also depletes the ground water in the area.
In 2016, the Madras High Court also passed an interim order that said to remove such trees due to their property of depleting the ground water of the area where they were planted, as those areas were already struggling for water.
To restore the green cover in a healthier way, Delhi’s plan is to shorten the tree tops so that less water is used and also allow sunlight to reach the ground. In addition, autochthonous trees are planted, so that they can go ahead of the growth of Kikar.
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Categories: Trends
Source: newstars.edu.vn