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Highway Green Tunnel faces Government axe

<p style="text-align:justify"><span style="color:#696969"><span style="font-size:11px"><span style="font-family:arial">Decades old 2 kilometer long Green Tunnel on the Srinagar-Jammu highway is set to vanish from Kashmir landscape as State authorities are cutting down all poplar trees on either side of the stretch near Bijbehera town in Islamabad (Anantnag), saying they cause pollen allergy during summer.</span></span></span></p> <p style="text-align:justify"><span style="color:#696969"><span style="font-size:11px"><span style="font-family:arial">While people used to celebrate this natural tunnel as part of their rich heritage, the officials of Social Forestry department say the exercise is aimed at culling pollen allergy-causing female Russian poplars.</span></span></span></p> <p style="text-align:justify"><span style="color:#696969"><span style="font-size:11px"><span style="font-family:arial">The Social Forestry department has already cut dozens of trees during last some days and the felling is on. An official said that almost all the trees forming the Green Tunnel would be cut down.</span></span></span></p> <p style="text-align:justify"><span style="color:#696969"><span style="font-size:11px"><span style="font-family:arial">&ldquo;We have directions from government to cut all mature hybrid and female poplar trees to get rid of pollen allergy,&rdquo; said an official. He said the government has so far not come up with any proposal to replace the variety with new ones.</span></span></span></p> <p style="text-align:justify"><span style="color:#696969"><span style="font-size:11px"><span style="font-family:arial">The move has evoked severe criticism from people, with netizens giving went to their anger on social networking sites.</span></span></span></p> <p style="text-align:justify"><span style="color:#696969"><span style="font-size:11px"><span style="font-family:arial">&ldquo;The dense majestic poplars used to provide soothing shade and it was a treat to travel through this natural tunnel,&rdquo; said a daily commuter of Islamabad town, Shahid Malik. He said the authorities should have consulted local population before going for felling of all trees.</span></span></span></p> <p style="text-align:justify"><span style="color:#696969"><span style="font-size:11px"><span style="font-family:arial">&ldquo;We heaved a sigh of relief once we learnt that the new expanded highway will take a diversion ahead the Green Tunnel but now it pains to learn about the felling of trees,&rdquo; said Adil Rashid, a resident of Bijbehara town.</span></span></span></p> <p style="text-align:justify"><span style="color:#696969"><span style="font-size:11px"><span style="font-family:arial">He said that as no widening is going to take place on the stretch, the move was unjustified. &ldquo;The Green Tunnel is being vandalized. We will soon be deprived of a heritage,&rdquo; reads the Facebook page of Anantnag Youth Foundation. It further appeals people of Islamabad district to save the tunnel from further destruction.</span></span></span></p> <p style="text-align:justify"><span style="color:rgb(105, 105, 105); font-family:arial; font-size:11px; line-height:1.6em">&ldquo;The plantation was done way back in 1985 and later it became popular as Green Tunnel,&rdquo; said Nadeem Qadri, an environment lawyer who is also the Executive Director of Centre of Environmental Law, an organization working on ecology and environment. He said the model was inspired by a similar tunnel on Narbal-Tangmarg road in North Kashmir.</span></p> <p style="text-align:justify"><span style="color:#696969"><span style="font-size:11px"><span style="font-family:arial">&ldquo;It is a matter of grave concern that the Green Tunnel which serves as a natural heritage is being vandalized by authorities without giving it a thought,&rdquo; said Qadri. He said the vandalizing of the tunnel is a big blow to nature lovers and environment friendly people of the State.</span></span></span></p> <p style="text-align:justify"><span style="color:#696969"><span style="font-size:11px"><span style="font-family:arial">&ldquo;Many Bollywood movies were shot on Narbal-Tangmarg road,&rdquo; said an environmentalist who had actively participated in the plantation. &ldquo;The trees were purchased from Baraeli, Uttar Pradesh,&rdquo; he said. However, he said that citing accidents and pollen allergy, the authorities later went for felling of all trees and till now they have not been replaced either.</span></span></span></p> <p style="text-align:justify"><span style="color:#696969"><span style="font-size:11px"><span style="font-family:arial">&ldquo;The authorities should have first come up with a proposal to replace the poplar trees causing pollen energy and then go for felling,&rdquo; he said. He said that researches have proven that trees don&rsquo;t lead to accidents.</span></span></span></p> <p style="text-align:justify"><span style="color:#696969"><span style="font-size:11px"><span style="font-family:arial">&ldquo;New Delhi and other cities are going greener by planned plantation but here in Kashmir even the natural green environs are being vandalized,&rdquo; an environmentalist lamented.</span></span></span></p> <p style="text-align:justify"><span style="color:#696969"><span style="font-size:11px"><span style="font-family:arial">When contacted, Director Social Forestry, Manzoor Ahmad Tak said, &ldquo;The extraction of hybrid mature poplar and female species is being carried throughout the valley after government orders to reduce pollen allergy.&rdquo;</span></span></span></p> <p style="text-align:justify"><span style="color:#696969"><span style="font-size:11px"><span style="font-family:arial">He said the department has already gone for felling of such species in North Kashmir. &ldquo;At the same time we are going for plantation of new varieties.&rdquo;</span></span></span></p> <p style="text-align:justify"><span style="color:#696969"><span style="font-size:11px"><span style="font-family:arial">He said the exercise is being done as during seed dispersal season the pollens released by such poplar species has been the cause of allergy. Asked if the poplar trees in Green Tunnel will be replaced by new species, Tak said, &ldquo;It will require lot of funds and our department has sent the proposal to government.&rdquo;</span></span></span></p> <p style="text-align:justify"><span style="color:#696969"><span style="font-size:11px"><span style="font-family:arial">Source-On Request</span></span></span></p>