Srinagar, Sep 20: In view of accidents and deaths due to falling from walnut trees, the Horticulture Department Kashmir has advised people to follow safety measures to avoid any such tragic incidents in future.
Walnut trees are huge that grow up to the height of 40–50 ft and the bark of these trees is very slippery. When farmers climb to trees carrying a long stick in hand to hit the fruit, they lose their balance resulting in a fall from the tree.
The manual nature of walnut business in the valley along with primitive methods for harvesting followed by locals, are the main contributors to the high rates of injury and death associated with harvesting walnuts.
Director Horticulture Kashmir, Ghulam Rasool Mir said there have been incidents in past where people fall from walnut trees, adding that people need to take safety measures to avoid such incidents.
He said the reason behind falling from walnut trees during harvest is due to the crude traditional methods applied in the walnut harvest that many people fall from trees, resulting in death or injuries.
“If farmers want to establish new walnut orchards they are advised to plant grafted plant varieties having low risk. We advise them to plant only those varieties that are not huge in height unlike traditional or existing walnut trees that have huge size and height,” he said.
The director said people should resist harvesting walnuts during rains and do it only after trees become dry properly to avoid slipping.
“The workers collect them by standing on the branches of a tree and using a stick. They lose their balance and fall. The slippery nature of the tree is also a reason for falling. Another cause for falling is the branch giving way while the worker is perched on it,” he said.
He said only those people should be involved in the harvest who have expertise or techniques for the same. “People should use safety measures like ropes,” he said.
People should also encourage mechanical shakers, which are rarely used in Kashmir, which will help to avoid such incidents in future.
The director said that if the farmers were educated and used more scientific methods based on common sense, many lives could be saved.
The farmers have been advised to wear non-slippery shoes and check weather forecasts by the IMD before planning for the harvest.
“Workers should not use long metal poles to harvest the trees, as accidental contact with electric lines could result in electrocution, serious injury or death,” said an official of the horticulture department.
He said people should also remove logs, stones and boulders around the base of the tree and also use nets to reduce risk. “Ensure a stable and firm position before beating the walnuts. Learn basic first-aid from the nearest health centre,” he said.
The official added that in case of any emergency, people should immediately contact 102 ambulance service for immediate medical assistance and ambulance service.
Walnut is grown across Kashmir and is one of the important sources of income. Walnut is a dry fruit with tremendous export potential.
Over the years, there has been no let-up in deaths caused by falling from walnut trees. Two days ago a man from Budgam died while falling from a walnut tree. A similar incident was reported earlier this month in Ramban.
