J&K Govt Puts Mulberry Tree Felling On Hold After Public Outcry

(MENAFN- Kashmir Observer) Srinagar- The Jammu & Kashmir government on Monday put on hold its earlier permission to fell mulberry trees along the Bund (Canal Avenue) Road stretch from Mochu Bridge to Rawalpora, following growing public concern and protests over the loss of green cover.

An official order issued by the Directorate of Sericulture Development Department, under the intervention of Director Sericulture Ajaz Ahmad Bhat, stated that the No Objection Certificate (NOC) granted for the removal of 62 mulberry trees has been withheld with immediate effect, pending further review.

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The decision comes amid mounting opposition from local residents and stakeholders associated with the sericulture sector, who had raised alarm over the felling of decades-old trees lining the Rawalpora–Bagh-e-Mehtab canal road.

According to the order, the Executive Engineer of R&B Division Rajbagh had initially approached the department in November 2025, seeking permission to remove 92 mulberry trees falling within the proposed road widening and upgradation project. The Directorate had subsequently sought field assessment and intervention to explore ways to safeguard the trees, recognizing their value to the region's sericulture industry.

Following further correspondence, a report submitted by the Additional Director, Sericulture Development Department Kashmir in March 2026 recommended the removal of 62 trees, citing project urgency, inputs from the local MLA, and field verification. Acting on these recommendations, the Directorate had granted conditional permission for the felling through a supervised standing auction process on March 20.

However, the move sparked strong reactions from environmentalists and residents, who described the cutting of mature mulberry trees-some believed to be nearly 50 years old-as a serious ecological loss.

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“This is not just tree cutting; it is the loss of decades of natural growth that cannot be replaced,” a local resident said, urging authorities to rethink infrastructure projects that come at the cost of established green cover.
Environmental groups warned that the incident reflects a broader pattern of shrinking green spaces in Kashmir due to rapid urbanisation, where development initiatives often override environmental considerations.

Welcoming the government's latest decision, noted environmental activist Raja Muzaffar Bhat said,“The decision to halt the felling of trees is a step in the right direction, especially when Srinagar urgently needs to preserve and expand its green cover to combat rising pollution levels during the winter months from November to February.” Bhat called for a comprehensive review of such projects to ensure environmental safeguards.
The order stated that the earlier approval for felling the trees will remain suspended until further directions are issued, signaling a possible reassessment of the road project's impact on the region's ecological and sericulture assets.

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