Srinagar: On the issue of impact of pollen from poplar trees, the J&K High Court has warned of strict action and even punitive orders against authorities concerned if action taken report is not filed before the bench by June 23.
The direction was passed after Aseem Sawhney, Additional Advocate General (AAG), told the court that he has received oral instructions from the General Administration Department (AAG) mentioning that “the needful” has been done in the matter.
The court of Chief Justice Gita Mittal and Justice Vinod Chatterji Koul while hearing the submission of the AAG remarked that it is truly unfortunate that they have not been informed about what is the “needful” which has been done.
The court said, “In case the action taken report is not filed before us before the next date of hearing, we shall be constrained to take a strict view of the matter and pass punitive orders against the authorities concerned.”
Earlier, in view of the Covid-19 crisis, the court had directed the Chief Secretary of the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir to constitute a committee headed by the Principal Chief Conservator of Forests and other experts on trees, medicine, respiratory diseases and other subjects relevant to the issue so to examine all aspects relating to the impact of pollen and fluff from the poplar trees, the desirability of felling poplar trees (also called Russian Poplar), and related issues.
“The Committee shall suggest all necessary steps, including felling of trees, if necessary. The Committee shall complete its deliberations expeditiously within a time frame to be fixed allotted by the Chief Secretary. Its report shall be forwarded to the Secretaries of the Departments of Health and Medical Education as well as Forests,” the court had said.
The court had further directed that the Secretaries of Health and Forest Departments shall thereafter take a considered view on the report of the committee and place the same before the Chief Secretary for consideration at the earliest.
“The final recommendations shall be placed before us at the earliest,” the court had said.

NUSRAT SIDIQ