Poplar’s lead to health issues in Anantnag

By Sameer Ahmad

Anantnag:- With weather warming up Poplar trees have once again created health issues for people in south kashmir‘s Anantnag district.

The pollen seeds of these trees have caused respiratory problems especially for children’s elderly men.

The poplar trees planted in Anantnag town were not removed even after the clear directions from Jammu and Kashmir High Court.

The Court had issued two consecutive orders asking for removal of Russian poplars across the Kashmir valley.

“However in Anantnag district the administration is on deep slumber and didn’t take any action to remove these trees in Anantnag town,” AB Rashid, a regular commute to main town said.

Underscoring their potential threat to human health, the Jammu and Kashmir high court had said that concern district tehsildars would be responsible for ensuring compliance with the orders passed by deputy commissioners for felling of the trees.

“It is common knowledge that pollen seeds of poplars of Russian species adversely affect health of general public, mostly of elderly people and children. The pollen seeds of these trees have given rise to chest disease of common people include asthama patients,” said Medicine consultant Dr Mushtaq Ahmad lone said.

He further said that: I consult hundreds of patients every day in District hospital Anantnag and most of them are infected on these poplar trees. These poplar trees shed cotton-like material carrying seeds that causing allergy respiratory disorders and irritation to the eyes, nose and throat,” This cotton has become an irritant for all people, The problem has become severe in the last few days in Anantnag district.

“these trees should be removed,” he said.