Ashfaq Wani
The Jammu and Kashmir High Court has recently issued an order asking for the removal of Russian Poplars across the Kashmir valley: In compliance to orders passed by the High Court J&K in Public Interest Litigation (PIL) Nos-834/2015, 1637/2015 & 976/2016, the Divisional Commissioner, Kashmir Pandurang K Pole, recently conducted a meeting to discuss the pollen-related infections in wake of already spread of COVID-19 and to work out the strategy and measures to get rid of this threat before the inception of the flowering season across the valley.
The court, in one of its earlier judgments, had observed, “It is common knowledge that pollen seeds of poplars of Russian species adversely affect the health of the general public, mostly of elderly people and children. The pollen seeds of these trees have given rise to chest disease in the Valley.”
The court had also cited Article 21 of the Indian Constitution. “The right to life can only become meaningful, only if a person is healthy,” said the court. It has now ordered the implementation of its order without any further delay keeping in view the pandemic COVID19. In the earlier order, the court had ordered chopping of poplar trees and had imposed a ban on planting them.
Russian Poplars In Kashmir
Kashmir, during its summer season, the populous deltoids—female poplar—sheds a cotton-like substance carrying seeds that are believed to cause allergy and intensify respiratory disorders. Thus can play havoc amid pandemic COVID19, which is also related to respiratory infections. This cotton has always been an irritant for the locale of the valley.
The name “Russian Poplar” is a misnomer and has no links to the country, Russia. In 1982, different varieties of poplar trees were introduced in Kashmir from the United States. The tree is a Western American species known as Eastern Cottonwood (Populus deltoides) in the US and in our valley they are usually referred to as Russi Frass.
According to the experts “Russian Poplar” grows relatively in a lesser period of 10 – 15 years. On the other hand Kashmir’s native poplar which is believed to grow in a period of 30-40 years. However, experts say that the Kashmiri Poplar is harmless as compared to Russi Frass.
By official estimates, the Valley today has approximately 20 million of the non-Kashmiri species of poplar trees.
Some poplars grow more than 70 feet tall and the deciduous leaves are alternate, simple and usually have coarsely toothed margins. The trees have a yellow fall color.
Wind-pollinated flowers usually appear in the spring before leaves unfold from March to May. Trees have either male (staminate) or female (pistillate) flowers that are located in drooping catkins.
When fruits mature, the capsules split open and release small seeds attached to silky hairs that assure wind dispersal. The cotton-ball appearance of the groups of seeds is responsible for the name cottonwood, which is applied to some species. Pollen is considered moderately allergenic.
Due to the high yield of poplar trees in Kashmir, they have become worth Rs 600 crore industry in the valley and are exclusively used in various construction and timber industries across Kashmir.
These non-Kashmiri species of poplar trees are used for making apple and other fruit boxes for transportation from Valley to other parts of the country. Every year in Kashmir, the fruit industry requires almost 300 lakh wooden boxes for fruit transportation purposes. The high-quality wood is also used in veneer and plywood.
However, due to cotton-like seeds that the species produces, it has become a pressing problem for the Valley.
Russian Poplar’s Pollen and COVID 19 in 2020 summer – A disastrous combo
With the onset of May and the current pandemic coronavirus outbreak in the valley, the integration of these two deadly diseases can play havoc with our lives as both are geared to destroy our respiratory system and thus put an end to our lives. The “Russian poplar” sheds their seeds covered in cotton-like material. The cotton-covered seeds can be seen in the air, on the ground and in water-bodies. Around the same time, patients complaining of respiratory diseases swell many times. People have been blaming the seeds for the respiratory diseases.
“It certainly aggravates respiratory diseases, the cotton-like substance is an irritant that causes allergies,” says Dr. Shabir, a doctor who treats lung patients in north Kashmir.
The cottonwood is a pollinating tree causing allergies that appear seasonally during early spring, with pronounced reactions occurring on warm, windy days when pollen and mold counts peak due to airborne transport, resulting in inhalation of pollen particles through the eyes, nose, and mouth.
Sensitized individuals that inhale cottonwood pollen may become symptomatic with allergic sinusitis, identified by stuffed up nasal passages and sinuses, ear infections, facial tenderness, localized headache pressure above the eyes that may lead to a migraine, fatigue, mood changes, decreased appetite, and insomnia.
Allergies to cottonwood produce symptoms of hay fever, causing itchy sensations in the eyes, nose, throat and mouth, accompanied by post-nasal drip symptoms of runny nose, watery eyes and sneezing.
Cottonwood allergies may cause allergic conjunctivitis of the eyes, leading to intensely itchy, watery eyes and eyelids that are visibly red, swollen, bloodshot and tender to the touch.
Allergies to cottonwood may cause symptoms of allergic rhinitis that combine with allergic asthma, resulting in nasal congestion, chronic sneezing and coughing, wheezing, throat soreness, chest tightness and asthma attacks.
Health experts stress that the cotton-like stuff from the poplars is not an allergen. The pollen shed by “Russian Poplars” which is usually invisible to the naked eye is the actual cause of allergy.
A brief study conducted by the Government Medical College, Srinagar, in 2017, concluded that the pollen of “Russian poplars” can cause allergic reactions in less than 20% of the population. Compared to this, pollen from common grass is likely to cause allergic reactions in 73.5%, pollen from pine in 62.7% of the population, and pollen from chinar trees in 60% of the population. The study found that the biggest causative agent for respiratory diseases is dust that can affect 92.7% of the population.
COVID-19 & Pollen Constitute Almost Same Symptoms.
The COVID-19 virus affects different people in different ways. COVID-19 is a respiratory disease and most infected people will develop mild to moderate symptoms and recover without requiring special treatment. People who have underlying medical conditions and those over 60 years old have a higher risk of developing severe disease and death.
Common symptoms include: fever, tiredness, dry cough.
Other symptoms include: shortness of breath, aches and pains, sore throat, and very few people will report diarrhea, nausea or a runny nose.
The COVID-19 virus spreads primarily through droplets of saliva or discharge from the nose when an infected person coughs or sneezes, so it’s important that you also practice respiratory etiquette (for example, by coughing into a flexed elbow). At this time, there are no specific vaccines or treatments for COVID-19. However, many ongoing clinical trials are evaluating potential treatments.
All the above-mentioned symptoms are almost similar to the symptoms caused by “Russian Poplar” thus immediate prevention and being proactive about the current situation is a dire need of the hour.
The best way to prevent and slow down such diseases is to be well informed about the COVID-19 virus and “Russian Poplar” the disease it causes and how it spreads. Protect yourself and others from infection by washing your hands or using an alcohol-based rub frequently and not touching your face.
High Court Intervention
Underscoring the potential threat of Russian Polar and COVID19 to human health, the Jammu Kashmir high court directed all the Deputy Commissioners of the valley to ensure removal of all the female Russian trees because of Covid19 and to Tehsildars, ensuring compliance with the orders passed by deputy commissioners for felling of the trees.
The current orders of Divisional administration specifying the Covid19 threat associated with such illegal trees have strengthened the confidence of people that local officers responsible for its implementation shall not be given any scope to defy orders. The orders advising all District implementation agencies to ensure strict implementation of Court orders in this regard given Covid19 threat, has been appreciated by experts, doctors social organizations and people throughout the valley.
The appeal is made to district officers of Social Forestry, Horticulture and Agriculture not to favor this time the owners and traders of these illegal trees by ignoring orders as now it is a question of safety of lives of the entire population of the valley before Covid19 epidemic is accelerated through floating pollen balls. Each causality caused by it shall be on those who dare to violate orders of Divisional administration or Orders of High Court.
