Rashida Tapadar
In the North-eastern state of Nagaland, a disaster-response is more catastrophic than the disaster itself. On a windy day on October 12 in a busy open market area in Dimapur, two Eucalyptus trees got uprooted and killed two vendors at the market. This immediately leads to a press release by the DDMA on October 13 that all the trees in that stretch will be felled in a one-week long process beginning from October 17-24.
In one day, this catastrophic decision was arrived at perceived to be without accommodating the need to consult botanical scientists, geologists to take a well-informed, analysed decision about an important climate related action. Beyond the information of the decision, nothing is shared with the public. In general, I have a set of questions which may die answerless.
To begin with, out of hundreds of trees when two trees fall because of strong winds, how wise is it to decide to chop down all the remaining trees. Secondly, if this no-shade market has led to two such incidents in one year, can shades not be constructed for these vendors and their safety instead of cutting down all the trees in that area? Alternatively, there is also a constructed yet abandoned market nearby where the vendors can be shifted and a clear instruction may be shared that people will not be allowed to sit under those trees with their produce because it may get hazardous on a windy day. There are many alternatives to not cutting trees standing tall and rare in the dry, dusty district of Dimapur which is crying for environmental help.
Let me also share a little about this market. This market is a bread earner for hundreds of street side vendors who sell locally grown and reared products here since many years now. In recent times, it got converted to a daily market and sees more rush than it did earlier when it was a weekly bazaar. It is a treat to walk underneath the long stretch of these tall, magnificent Eucalyptus trees especially on Wednesdays when it turns into our own little flower market as most flower sellers gather here to sell their flowers only on Wednesdays.
As we know the DDMA is headed by the DC, usually an IAS, it only gets more interestingly, coincidentally intersecting that another IAS in UP has a delightful response to a cry for help with food in the aftermath of floods in a UP district. He says, ‘Govt is not running Zomato service' when a desperate and affected citizen requests for food. Though it is clearly stated in Section 34 of Disaster Management Act, for the purpose of assisting, protecting or providing relief to the community, in response to any threatening disaster situation or disaster, the District Authority may- (e) Provide shelter, food, drinking water and essential provisions, healthcare and services. His remark drew some flak and some flakes flew not much beyond the Northern belt of India. Like our little case here and fury will not draw any flak or flakes anywhere, not much even in our district because some people have found alternative explanations already. Instead of coming out in support of the sacrificial Eucalyptus trees, some people have been convinced that the roots of Eucalyptus are weak which is entirely false. Briefly reading about Eucalyptus trees, I have learned that if their branches are weak that’s because of unfavourable soil conditions and not because it has weak roots. As per a Down to Earth article published in 2018, a similar incident of ‘slandering’ Eucalyptus trees had happened earlier too where poor knowledge had led the administration to decide on banning the cultivation of Eucalyptus trees considering them water-intensive contrary to their scientific truth. This article further emphasized- Eucalyptus plantations must be raised, given the tree’s significant impact on wood availability, livelihood generation and carbon sequestration’. In another reliable article an important fact about Eucalyptus came to light. It informed that - With more than 600 known species, eucalyptus (Eucalyptus spp.) trees can grow to the height of a six-storey building. Amazingly, these evergreens generate as much as 10 feet of growth in one growing season. To support this growth, eucalyptus trees must have a strong root system -- they naturally develop both feeder roots and a strong taproot.
Another article reads as -depending on the variety, eucalyptus trees develop taproots that extend vertically to an astounding 60-foot depth. Because not all soils are deep enough for this huge root structure -- a 6-foot taproot is the minimum size a eucalyptus needs for proper anchoring in the ground. Soil layers that hinder taproot growth, such as hardpan, cause the tree to have a shallow and weakened root system, making the eucalyptus vulnerable to wind damage’. It is not the tree variety or its weak root system that needs to be blamed, it is the soil type that is not suitable for Eucalyptus.
Another article read-‘…although eucalyptus may damage man-made structures nearby, their roots do provide several landscape benefits. If you have a hillside prone to wind and water erosion, a eucalyptus tree's roots holds the soil in place -- the snakelike lateral roots hold the soil like a glue so your hillside does not shift in bad weather’. Dimapur is a flood prone low lying area. Soil erosion is a significant issue here. According to the Soil and water conservation department of Nagaland- The topography is dissected into hill ranges which further breaks into spurs and ridges, coupled with high rainfall during the monsoon rendering the region very sensitive to heavy runoff and soil erosion. The state’s economy is closely linked to its natural resource base and climate sensitive sectors such as agriculture and forestry, which faces an increased risk of the negative impacts of climate change’
Given these factors, it must be seen as an anti-climate protection campaign of the DDMA. There cannot be any trivializing of the fact that some precious lives have been lost in this unfortunate incident and another similar incident in the same area. While it is critical that safety of citizens be considered first, it is equally critical that climate consequences are not ignored in a sensitive topography. The Government of India launched National Action Plan on Climate Change (NAPCC) on 30thJune, 2008 outlining eight National Missions on climate change and National Mission for a Green India is one of the eight national missions of the plan. A middle path is definitely possible for safety of citizens as well as protection of trees.
It may also be an important time to remind ourselves some of the most important functions of the DDMA.
Some of the most important functions of District Disaster Management Authority:
According to Section 30 (1) of Disaster Management Act, the District Authority shall act as the district planning, coordinating and implementing body for disaster management and take all measures for the purposes of disaster management in the district in accordance with the guidelines laid down by the National Authority and the State Authority.
1. Prepare a disaster management plan including district response plan for the district;
2. Ensure that the areas in the district vulnerable to disasters are identified and measures for the prevention of disasters and the mitigation of its effects are undertaken by the departments of the Government at the district level as well as by the local authorities;
3. Examine the construction in any area in the district and, if it is of the opinion that the standards for the prevention of disaster or mitigation laid down for such construction is not being or has not been followed, may direct the concerned authority to take such action as may be necessary to secure compliance of such standards.
With this reminder of duties, if nothing else may be achieved before these beautiful trees are no more, we must at least pay them a tribute for their tall, long existence in Dimapur enriching our lives for as long as we can remember
The writer is a concerned citizen born in the late 80’s who grew up with these Eucalyptus trees in Dimapur, Nagaland.
