Order issued to fell 50,000 trees planted for greenery:Forty-year-old Conocarpus and Saptaparni labelled silent killers; blamed for rising health risks to humans in cities

The Madhya Pradesh government has ordered the removal of Conocarpus and Saptaparni trees from cities, saying they are harmful to human health. These trees were planted about 40 years ago to make urban areas green. The Urban Administration Department issued a circular on January 9, asking local bodies to remove existing Conocarpus trees and replace them with local species. The department has also removed Conocarpus from its approved planting list to stop its use in government parks and public places. After this order, around 50,000 Conocarpus trees are expected to be removed across the state. Supreme Court committee’s report opened eyes
The Supreme Court had constituted the Central Empowered Committee (CEC) to assess the damage caused by Conocarpus. The committee submitted its report on August 21, 2023, expressing concern over the serious environmental and ecological threats posed by Conocarpus species trees across the country. The report mentioned that Conocarpus, also known as ‘buttonwood’, has been widely adopted for urban greenery in many cities across the country. However, scientific studies and information obtained at the regional level have proven that Conocarpus is behaving like an invasive species in many parts of the country. Satparni also came under the ambit of the ban
Interestingly, while the CEC’s report primarily mentioned the dangers of Conocarpus, the Urban Administration Department of Madhya Pradesh also included Satparni in its order. Calling both species “extremely dangerous,” the department has instructed all district collectors to immediately stop their planting and to prepare an action plan for replacing trees planted earlier. This decision is significant because over the past three decades, millions of Satparni trees have been planted along roadsides, on dividers, and in parks in large cities like Bhopal, Indore, Jabalpur, and Gwalior. Former officer explained why the trees became popular
Retired APCCF, K.C. Mall, who was the first ranger of the city circle at the time of the formation of the Capital Project Forest Division (CPA), recalling that era, says, “This was in 1986, when the Capital Project Forest Division was formed. At that time, there was pressure to rapidly increase greenery in the city. Officials searched for plants that would remain green for all 12 months of the year, provide good shade, and look beautiful.” He further adds, “Based on these very criteria, Saptaparni was selected. Its biggest feature was that its leaves were not eaten by cattle and it did not require much care. I was the city’s first Range Officer at that time, and under the urban beautification scheme, we must have planted approximately 25 to 30 thousand Saptaparni saplings.” Later, other cities in the state also adopted this model to rapidly bring greenery. “My estimate is that today there are more than 50,000 Saptaparni trees in the state.” However, he believes that the government’s decision not to plant them now is correct, but he expresses concern over cutting down decades-old trees. Doctors’ Warning: These trees increase allergies
The city’s well-known respiratory specialist, Dr. Lokendra Dave, confirms the health risks posed by these trees. He explains that a large amount of pollen is released from the flowers of both Conocarpus and Satparni. These dissolve in the air and enter people’s respiratory systems. For people with weak immunity or those who already have an allergic tendency, this is extremely dangerous. This can lead to asthma attacks, persistent cold and cough, eye irritation, and difficulty in breathing becoming common problems. Dr. Dave particularly emphasizes the danger posed by Satparni during the winter season. In winter, these trees bloom, and this is the time when allergy cases increase. Experts said – pollution will increase due to the loss of 40 years of greenery
Dr. Sudesh Waghmare, former Deputy Director of Van Vihar, who himself planted Satparni while at CPA, has mixed opinions on this. He says, it is true that the smell of the flowers of this tree is very pungent, which can sometimes cause problems for respiratory patients. But, this also happens with many other trees during the pollination season. Considering it completely harmful would probably not be correct. Meanwhile, experts believe that banning new plants is a welcome step, but the campaign to replace 30 to 40-year-old, dense and shady trees could prove to be a double-edged sword. For this, they cite three reasons… Ban on planting Conocarpus in 6 states
Madhya Pradesh is not the first state to take such a step. States like Gujarat, Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Telangana, Andhra Pradesh, and Assam have already sensed the dangers of Conocarpus and have banned its planting, and are working to remove old trees and replace them with local species like Neem, Peepal, Banyan, Amaltas.