Srinagar, 13 May: People in different areas of Kashmir are facing inconveniences and allergies due to the shedding of pollen by female species of Russian poplar trees.
Despite High Court orders to axe the Russian poplars in Kashmir, district administration in Ganderbal have not axed the banned poplar trees and the harmful pollen is causing inconveniences and infections in many areas.
Irshad Ahmad, a resident of Ganderbal said Russian poplars are shedding harmful pollen which has become a source of inconveniences and is causing infections and allergies.
“This pollen problem has engulfed many areas where the Russian poplars have been planted. The asthma patients and school-going children are the worst sufferers by it who develop complications due to this pollen dust,” he said.
He said that over the past three years the administration had issued many orders to cut down the female Russian popular trees but many such trees are yet to face the axe.
“Little seems to be implemented on ground in the district. The problem is worsening these days as these poplars are in full bloom with pollen dust. Authorities must take this issue seriously and implement High Court orders to stem the rising rate of allergy and infection,” the resident said.
“A decade before people here planted the Russian poplars, but even after passing of ten years district administration has failed to cut down the poplars,” the resident said.
Residents of several areas like Gund, Kangan, Lar, Ganderbal etc. complained about the presence of Russian poplars and urge district administration to start a drive to cut these trees. Presence of pollen in air and around residential houses has forced people to keep their children confined to indoors.
Similarly, people from Kantebagh Baramulla also complained that pollen has affected people and it is causing inconveniences to people and causing chest and throat infections.
Tahir Ahmad, a resident of Baramulla said Covid-19 has gone but the pollen has remained and it is causing problems to the people because of female popular trees.
“If there is a High Court order banning the plantation of Russian poplars then why poplar trees are seen everywhere and why the administration is not monitoring and cutting down these trees,” he said.
According to doctors, due to the falling of pollen, the chances of breathing problems and different type of allergies are high. These trees are allergenic and may cause health problems.
Dr Naveed Nazir Shah, a top pulmonologist and HOD Chest Medicine, Chest Disease Hospital Srinagar, said that the pollen season is an allergic season and the CD hospital has been receiving pollen allergy cases causing exacerbations of asthma over the past one month.
“Popular cotton is not the actual pollen it is the seed of popular trees. When it spreads or circulates in the atmosphere there is pollen from different trees associated which are causing symptoms and are more allergic. This year the pollen allergies were relatively less because of the rainfall,” he said.
“Every plant and tree is in bloom in early spring. Just because we cannot see these particles and it does not mean they do not exist and these are mixed with each other and cause different forms of allergies,” he said.
