Felling of Rajasthan's state tree 'khejri' rampant on solar plant sites in desert areas

Jodhpur, June 15 (PTI) A symbol of survival in the harsh climate of Thar desert and tagged as state tree of Rajasthan, 'khejri' (Prosopis Cineraria) is now fighting a battle for its survival, desperately looking for another Amrita Bishnoi, who laid down her life for the protection of the tree in 1730 AD.

Known as the 'Pride of Rajasthan' and 'Kalp Vriksha' of the desert, khejri has long been struggling for survival due to root borer and fungal infections forcing it to dry up.

However, for past few years, it is faced with a man-made threat -- solar plants -- which has unleashed mass elimination of these trees.

This threat stood substantiated when the district administration of Phalodi last year recovered 47 khejri trees buried at a solar plant site in Badi Sid under the Baap tehsil, a prominent site for solar plants.

Activists from different Bishnoi organisations, who staged a demonstration in Phalodi following the recovery against the indiscriminate felling of the tree, claimed to have satellite images validating their claim that thousands of bighas of land have been cleared to accommodate solar plants in Jaisalmer, Phalodi, Jodhpur and Bikaner districts.

Earlier this week, a similar demonstration was reported from Osian, a temple town and emerging solar plant site near Jodhpur, where about 150 khejri tress were cut along with other species such as rohida, the flower of which enjoys the status of state flower in Rajasthan.

Om Prakash Lol, organising secretary of the Bishnoi Tiger Force, an organisation comprising predominantly members from the Bishnoi community known for its pro-environment and wildlife stance, said that if no action is taken against the "killers" of the tree, they will launch a fierce movement.

Lol claimed that similar elimination of khejri trees is taking place at Jud Khari village in Mathania near Jodhpur, where a solar plant is coming up on a 300-bigha land parcel.

Such demonstrations and warnings have become common with the increasing acreage of solar plants in the region, but they have failed to bring a check on indiscriminate and unabated felling of the trees.

Last year, Jaymalsar village in Bikaner district witnessed a 34-day sit-in against the felling of khejri trees, but it ended with an assurance of action that never came to be.

The absence of a stringent law to penalise the felling of khejri has acted as immunity to the owners of the land or the solar companies.

"Unfortunately, the toothless provisions of the Tenancy Act, 1955, have contributed to this rampant falling of khejri trees on solar plant sites," Rampal Bhawad, president of Bishnoi Tiger Force, said.

"We have been continuously raising our voice demanding an amendment to the Tenancy Act, which provisions a meagre penalty of Rs 100 for cutting tree illegally. For the companies investing millions for setting up plants, this amount is peanuts," Bhawad said.

They are demanding that the fine be increased to Rs 2 lakh per tree and a minimum punishment of there years be mandated.

Alleging connivance between the companies and the administration, Bhawad claimed they dry up the tree either by pouring acid in its roots or by burning its base.

To avoid any legal implication, the solar companies in most of the cases ask the farmers or the owners of the land they are taking on lease to set up plants to clear the land of entire vegetation before taking possession of the same in lure of money.

Phalodi District Collector Harji Lal Atal said permission for clearing the land of any vegetation is given by the concerned tehsildar, who is also supposed to keep a watch on the activities.

Atal, however, asserted that no permission for the removal of khejri trees is granted, considering its status as the state tree, which validates the allegations of the environmentalists that they are being felled illegally.

Taking a serious note of the indiscriminate felling of khejri trees, the National Green Tribunal (NGT) had directed AMP Energy Green Four Pvt Ltd to plant 2,500 trees, 10 times of the trees uprooted from the allotted land measuring 3,200 bighas, besides slapping a cash penalty of Rs 2 lakh in October 2022.

In April last year, the high court also sought affidavits from the secretaries of revenue, forest and energy departments on illegal felling of trees and damage caused to environment and wildlife due to solar plants at seven villages in Bikaner district.

But even these interventions have failed to bring results and keep this tree, around which the economy of the desert chiefly revolves, from falling victim to the fast-spreading solar plats in the desert.

The organisations are demanding a satellite mapping of the entire area before handing over land for solar plants to ascertain the density and type of vegetation thereon.

"This can help the administration to draw a pre and post-installation comparison," Bhawad said. PTI COR ARI