SRINAGAR: Around 30,000 Chinar trees have been surveyed across Kashmir, excluding those located in security campuses and installations, while the government has cited ageing, disease, pests and developmental activities among the factors contributing to the decline in the species.
The information was provided by the Jammu and Kashmir Government in response to an unstarred question raised by Budgam MLA Aga Syed Muntazir Mehdi in the Legislative Assembly regarding the protection and preservation of Chinar trees.
The government said the Chinar at Chattergam in Budgam, believed to be around 650 years old, is the oldest Chinar tree in Asia. While some of its older and dried branches have naturally fallen, the remaining portion of the tree continues to remain green.
To protect the tree, an iron fence has been installed around its critical root zone, or buffer area, to prevent soil compaction, root suffocation and movement of traffic within the root zone.
The government attributed the reported decline in Chinar numbers in Kashmir to the natural ageing of old trees, diseases and pests, cutting for developmental activities, shrinking land availability and population growth.
It said Chinar trees cannot be cut, including their branches, without prior permission from the local administration under the applicable rules. Carving nails, fixing signboards by hammering into trees, and damaging their bark or roots are also prohibited.
The government said the Department of Floriculture, Gardens and Parks has planted 709 Chinar saplings during the past three years in gardens and parks maintained by it. A further 7,134 saplings have been distributed free of cost to the general public, educational institutions, security installations and others in the Kashmir division.
The department also encourages government offices, private institutions and members of the public to undertake Chinar plantations by making saplings available free of cost.
The government said pruning of Chinar branches is permitted only with authorisation from the competent authorities. During the past three years, 70 orders were issued by the competent authority for pruning or cutting Chinar trees in Budgam.
It said applications concerning dried or hazardous branches are examined through technical assessments. Site inspections are conducted during the active growing season, from approximately April to November, to assess the health of trees and avoid misinterpretation during the dormant winter period.
The government said requests for permission to prune dried or hazardous branches in Budgam are generally disposed of within one month.
It further said that where pruning is permitted, applicants are advised to apply lime or Chaubatia pruning paste to the cut portion to protect the tree.
The Jammu and Kashmir Forest Research Institute (JKFRI) has undertaken a survey-based census of Chinar trees in Kashmir as part of efforts to assess the species and its distribution.
