SRINAGAR: The poplar trees have become a threat for the patients at SDH Pattan and inhabitants of Pattan area of North Kashmir Baramulla District. The area is surrounded with Russian poplar trees.
Locals said that the seasonal cotton fluff of Russian poplar trees has become an irritant in the past for the them as it causes respiratory problems.
The presence of Russian poplar trees is a major concern which are planted on the premises of SDH hospital Pattan despite High Court ban and nobody bothers to Chopped them, locals said.
They said, “Russian poplar must be cut down as soon as possible, Asthma, Allergic patients are prone to these poplars infection by which there symptoms are being enhanced also due to the poplars cause the surged patients also suffer under undo cough by which there surged body part gets lot of pain”.
“With the onset of May the cotton fluffs is major responsible for illness as the cotton like flakes of Russian poplar trees are falls continuously on the surface and water bodies thus affecting the health of public” said a patient Irfan Ahmad.
People cover their faces by masks to avoid allergies causing by the pollens when venturing out.
Reports of russian poplar trees are from Villages also like Pattan, Palhallan, Ussan, Aglar, Goushbugh, Magraypora, Sultanpora and other areas of Pattan.
In this regard a number of people have appealed to cut down the russian poplar trees immediately and save their lives.
“While traveling to school on a road we come across pollens which continuously falls down from the Russian poplar trees and causes infections and we remain ill which results we can’t attend the classes regularly” said a 6th standard student Amir of GHSS Goushbugh.
“Besides this it brings in activeness in our body”, he added.
Amir’s view was seconded by other students staying in a school playground where this reporter saw scores of Russian poplar trees.
“I can’t breathe properly due to the pollen allergies,most of my friends, family members are suffering from throat infection and fever caused by the cotton fluffs which falls continuously like cotton flakes” said Sajid Wajid a Student of GDC Pattan.
While talking with the experts they opined that if there are alternatives than to cut the russian poplars there must be some interchanging against these poplars so the ecological balance and economy will remain constant.
The Rabbit farm at Ussan khoie of Pattan had also suffered badly due to white cotton fluffs as the area has number of poplar trees.
“We are unable to cut the grass because of the mixture of cotton fluff with it” said an employee of the farm.
“We face immense hardships and it became very difficult to feed the rabbits these days said employee of the rabbit farm”.
The Russian poplar trees causes multiple allergies to the people nose and chest infections, eye allergies and skin rashes and are constantly sneezing.
“Due to cotton fluff several bikers met with accidents due to this cotton mess” said Tariq Mir a local resident.
Locals and staff members of rabbit farm said that “it needs an immediate solution otherwise it could cause the huge damage to the population of many animals as well as the human creation”.
Previously court has issued an order asking for removal of Russian poplars across the Kashmir valley. Responding to the order, the state government said that “the order will take time to be implemented”. The pollen seeds of these trees are said to cause respiratory problems.
“In compliance of high court orders, the Deputy commissioner Baramulla has recently ordered for removal of Russian poplars across the district because the pollen seeds of these trees are said to cause respiratory problems, but the people didn’t bother to implement the order” said one of the employee.
However When contacted to BMO Pattan Dr Shakeel assured that” within a week we will Chopped down the poplar trees on the premises of Sub District Hospital Pattan, So that patients and adjacent people get relief from this mess”. (PTK)
