Srinagar: The J&K High Court on Tuesday called for an action taken report from the government on the suggestions given by an expert committee constituted to study the impact of pollens in view of the COVID-19 pandemic.
The panel in their report has cleared that there is no scientific data available as on date which proves that fluff of the poplars can transmit virus or has a role to spread COVID-19.
The report while quoting experts in the field mentions that there is not a single study which has proved that seeds of female poplars cause respiratory infections.
“The possibility of being a main factor in spreading the so-called “pollen allergy” in female individuals of poplar trees without reliable scientific data sounds unfounded,” it said.
The report while quoting Government Medical College (GMC) findings regarding the respiratory health problems in Kashmir mentions that due to the house dust and lawn grass respiratory problems are prominent. However due to the production of large tufts of cotton/fluff by the female poplar trees it creates nuisance at urban locations such as hospitals, schools and other densely populated areas.
The committee suggested that female poplar trees should be phased out from areas like hospitals, schools, market places and densely populated areas while remaining trees should be cut as per protocol.
“The phased out trees should be replaced by suitable trees while planting of all female poplar trees as an avenue tree should be banned all across Jammu and Kashmir,” report recommended.
The report also stressed that there has to be a complete ban on raising of female poplar trees in private nurseries of the valley while “the existing nursery stock of female poplar shall be procured on the market price by government”.
“Immediate removal of trees in rural areas is likely to cause serious economic hardship to farmers besides severe ecological and environmental impact. Hence, it is not proposed,” the report says.
However, the report advises farmers to replace old trees which have attained exploitable size of more than 4 feet and loop the trees at flowering stage to minimize cotton seed production and inconvenience to the public at large.
The report also states that the government should encourage new industries to absorb low dimension poplar wood.
“The infrastructure of already existing industries should also be upgraded to strengthen this sector,” the committee report recommends.
Plywood and veneer industries should tie up with farmers for regular supply of raw material ensuring fair price to the farmers.
At last the report recommends the government to pass an advisory for use of masks in the general population and the people sensitive to allergies while creating awareness regarding the unfounded myths that pollens carry viruses or is a potential carrier of COVID-19.
The committee also suggested that in view of very high number of poplar trees planted in J&K and the significant role in economic, social and environment, poplar commission with representatives from social welfare department, faculty of Forestry, wood based industry, farmers and NGOs need to be constituted to advise government on various aspects of introduction, cultivation, utilization and regulation of poplars in Jammu and Kashmir.
“The commission may be assigned to formulate a policy on poplar cultivation,” the report said.
As per Forest Survey of India, the estimated turnover of poplar based industrial sector amounts to 600 crore while providing direct and indirect sustenance to thousands of people in the valley.
The number of poplar trees across J&K as per FSI assessment is 1, 52, 24,845. Out of this total 1,48,94,920 trees exist in Kashmir.

NUSRAT SIDIQ