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Time of India
08-07-2025
- General
- Time of India
Indian Rosewood Conservation Act Expires: A Threat to Biodiversity in the Nilgiris
Indian rosewood is a genetic resources for plant breeding, and their disappearance would negatively impact the ecological integrity of the Nilgiri Biosphere Reserve With the Tamil Nadu Rosewood Trees (Conservation) Act quietly lapsing in Feb 2025 after three decades, and no new safeguards introduced, the majestic Indian rosewood (Dalbergia latifolia) has been left vulnerable, say environmentalists. Introduced by chief minister J Jayalalithaa in 1995 for 15 years to safeguard endangered and culturally significant heritage trees, the legislation was extended for 15 years in 2010 when M Karunanidhi was in office. The Indian rosewood grows primarily in the lush landscapes of the Nilgiris region in Tamil Nadu, in Anamalai, Mudumalai and Gudalur. An Indian rosewood, estimated to be about 200 years old and standing in the Anamalai Tiger Reserve, was honoured as a Heritage Tree of Tamil Nadu by the State Biodiversity Board in 2017. You Can Also Check: Chennai AQI | Weather in Chennai | Bank Holidays in Chennai | Public Holidays in Chennai 'To us, it's not just a tree. It's sacred,' says B Bellie, a member of the Badaga, the largest indigenous community in the Nilgiris. 'For generations, the rosewood, referred to as 'kaalli mora' or 'kale mora', has held a revered place in our lives and rituals.' In a time when the preservation of native trees is a priority for govt agencies, the forest department's move to annul the Act has sparked outcry from environmentalists. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like 20 Pieces of Clothing you should Ditch over 40 Learn More Undo 'This decision not to renew the Act contradicts conservation principles,' says Dharmalingam Venugopal, founder and director of the Nilgiri Documentation Centre (NDC). 'The authorities should be aware of the circumstances surrounding the enactment of the Rosewood Trees (Conservation) Act, a first-of-its-kind legislation in India.' In 1994, Venugopal says, several large estates in the Gudalur belt applied to cut down 2,000 old of the trees 'under the pretext of shade regulation for tea bushes'. 'Some court orders favoured these estates by allowing the felling of Indian rosewood. A front-page article in a national newspaper about this issue prompted Jayalalithaa to enact legislation to protect the Indian rosewood in the state, particularly in the Gudalur belt of the Nilgiri region. It sets an example for other states within the Nilgiri biosphere reserve.' Srinivas R Reddy, principal chief conservator of forests and head of the forest department, says the Act is 'no longer needed'. 'It has discouraged people from planting rosewood in other areas. By removing it, we're hoping more farmers will grow them, especially in irrigated areas, as rosewood doesn't survive in dry conditions.' The objectives of this Act, he adds, are not fully realised because other regulations such as the Tamil Nadu Preservation of Private Forest Act of 1949 and the Tamil Nadu Hill Areas (Preservation of Trees) Act of 1955, adequately protect these trees. 'A separate rosewood tree act is simply not needed.' B J Krishnan, former member of the Western Ghats Ecology Expert Panel, says artificial regeneration of the Indian rosewood is 'near impossible'. 'Artificial cultivation of the species is difficult due to its low seed germination rate in natural conditions and slower growth compared to other native trees in the Nilgiris,' he says. 'As a result, the Indian rosewood population continues to decline even within forested areas. ' Krishnan adds that the trees take more than two decades to reach maturity and achieve a significant diameter of about 200cm. 'So how can a farmer realistically grow and sell this tree?' he says. 'Withdrawing protective legislation would endanger the ancient Indian rosewood in the Janmam lands of Gudalur, many of which are leased to private companies. Known as the 'ivory of the forests', each tree, if felled, could fetch millions in the timber trade. ' A fully mature 30ft tree will fetch at least `60 lakh in the timber market, says K Shankar, a timber merchant. Most of these trees are several decades old, and Krishnan believes the now-lapsed law played a role in protecting them from being logged. 'Maybe some natural regeneration has occurred in the region because of that protection. However, earlier waves of felling have caused a loss of genetic diversity that threatens the long-term resilience of rosewood populations in the Gudalur belt.' Reddy says that naturally grown rosewood will remain protected, but the planting of new trees will only be allowed with proof and approval from the district-level committee. Krishnan says that existing laws such as the Tamil Nadu Preservation of Private Forest Act, 1949, and the Tamil Nadu Hill Areas (Preservation of Trees) Act, 1955, also fail to address the conservation needs of this critical floral species, he notes. 'Indian rosewood trees is a genetic resources for plant breeding, and their disappearance would negatively impact the quality of the gene pool and the ecological integrity of the Nilgiri Biosphere Reserve. ' He adds that just as there are specific legal frameworks to protect species such as tigers and elephants, Indian rosewood requires an act. 'The Wildlife (Protection) Amendment Act of 2006 was enacted to facilitate the targeted conservation of tigers by establishing tiger reserves and core/critical tiger habitats, though tigers were protected under the Wildlife (Protection) Act of 1972. The same targeted approach was applied when the rosewood tree act was implemented. ' Venugopal says that the withdrawal of this Act would effectively enable the illegal logging of the trees, which are on the Red List of the International Union for Conservation of Nature. 'Estates falling under Section 17 of the Gudalur Janmam Estates (Abolition and Conversion into Ryotwari) of 1969 contain a substantial number of Indian rosewood in the possession of large private companies. Perhaps the Act is being withdrawn to benefit the lessees of the janmam land,' says an environmentalist. Email your feedback with name and address to
Time of India
22-05-2025
- Politics
- Time of India
CM cites Sanatan traditions to emphasise environ conservation
Lucknow: Underscoring the importance of collective responsibility and public participation in environmental conservation, Chief Minister on Thursday urged the people to live in harmony with nature, drawing upon India's Vedic philosophy and Sanatan traditions, which underscore the deep cultural reverence for the environment. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now Inaugurating the national seminar–2025 on International Biodiversity Day, the CM highlighted the theme 'Harmony with Nature and Sustainable Development' and said that safeguarding the environment is a shared duty and not of the govt alone. He cited the Vedic Shanti Path, saying every auspicious ritual in Sanatan Dharma begins with prayers for the well-being of the earth, water, sky and all living beings, underscoring humanity's deep-rooted connection with nature and biodiversity. Citing Atharva Veda, he referred to a verse that reveres the earth as a mother and humans as her children, bound by duty to protect her. Reaffirming India's global commitment to biodiversity conservation, an issue that gained international attention in 1992, CM Yogi emphasised that achieving the goal of net-zero emissions by 2070 requires active participation from every individual, as resolved by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. "Govt efforts alone are not enough... Sustainable development will only be possible when society works harmoniously with nature," he said. Reflecting on India's self-reliant rural traditions, the CM recalled how villages once had barns, pasture lands, ponds and compost pits, all contributing significantly to environmental sustainability. Solid waste was turned into compost, ponds ensured hygiene, and pasture lands supported livestock. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now However, these time-tested practices were neglected in pursuing modernity, leading to ecological imbalance and the rise of disease. He warned that practices like converting ponds into drainage outlets and encroaching on pasture lands are short-sighted and self-destructive. Highlighting Uttar Pradesh's commitment to environmental protection, the chief minister said that the State Biodiversity Board is spearheading new campaigns to realise the vision of 'Harmony with Nature and Sustainable Development'. Over the past eight years, the forest department has significantly expanded the state's green cover by planting over 210 crore trees. He further noted that under the Namami Gange initiative, substantial progress was made in restoring the cleanliness and uninterrupted flow of the Ganga, especially in Kanpur, once considered one of the most polluted stretches. He said, "Today, the Ganga flows clean and vibrant in that region, reflecting the success of these focused efforts". Yogi also stressed the importance of traditional knowledge and local customs in biodiversity conservation. He referred to Sanatan Dharma, where flora and fauna are deeply integrated with spiritual beliefs, trees like peepal, banyan, and jamun are revered, and animals are considered sacred. Recalling age-old practices, he mentioned how, in earlier times, even ants were not harmed but gently removed by offering flour and sugar, an example of coexistence and ecological compassion. The CM said that excessive mechanisation, whether in drainage systems or industrial processes, is detrimental to the environment. He advocated a return to natural and indigenous methods, such as traditional water purification systems once prevalent in rural areas. He raised concerns over the declining population of ecologically significant species like the Jatayu, which once played a vital role in nature's purification cycle. Harmful side-effects of chemical fertilisers and pharmaceutical residues brought such species to extinction. Calling for a collective awakening, he said that biodiversity conservation must become a 'Jan Andolan'. CM honours environ efforts Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath visited a biodiversity-themed exhibition during the seminar, engaging directly with stall owners to learn about their showcased products. He released the Green Budget and a Biodiversity booklet, recognizing efforts toward environmental conservation. He also honoured students who demonstrated talent and environmental awareness by awarding winners of painting, essay, and debate competitions. Furthermore, he provided Rs 10,000 incentives to individuals recognized for their outstanding contributions to carbon credit initiatives and presented certificates of appreciation to NGO-affiliated farmers.
Indian Express
22-05-2025
- General
- Indian Express
UP CM says safeguarding environment a shared duty, not govt's alone
Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Thursday said that safeguarding the environment is a duty shared by the general public and is not of the government's alone. Inaugurating the National Seminar–2025 on International Biodiversity Day, in Lucknow, the CM said every auspicious ritual in Sanatan Dharma begins with prayers for the well-being of the earth, water, sky, and all living beings. In the Atharva Veda, there is a verse that reveres the earth as mother and humans as her children, bound by the duty to protect her, he added. Citing the Vedic Shanti Path (Vedic peace tradition), the CM said the State Biodiversity Board is spearheading new campaigns to realise the vision of 'harmony with nature and sustainable development. The Forest Department has significantly expanded the state's green cover by planting over 210 crore trees in the past eight years, he claimed. Under the Namami Gange initiative, substantial progress has been made in restoring the cleanliness and uninterrupted flow of the Ganga, especially in Kanpur, once considered one of the most polluted stretches, he noted. 'Today, the Ganga flows clean in that region, reflecting the success of these focused efforts,' he claimed. In Sanatan Dharma, trees like peepal, banyan and jamun are worshiped and animals are considered sacred, the CM said. In earlier times, even ants were not harmed but gently removed by offering flour and sugar, an example of coexistence and ecological compassion, he added. He raised concerns over the declining population of ecologically significant species like vulture, which once played a vital role in nature's purification cycle. Harmful side-effects of chemical fertilisers and pharmaceutical residues have brought such species to extinction. Adityanath urged people to recognise these creatures' importance and express gratitude towards the wisdom embedded in traditional practices. During the seminar, the CM visited the biodiversity-themed exhibition and released the Green Budget and a Biodiversity Booklet. He also provided Rs 10,000 incentives to individuals recognised for outstanding work in carbon credit initiatives.
Hindustan Times
22-05-2025
- Politics
- Hindustan Times
Biodiversity conservation collective responsibility: Yogi
Uttar Pradesh chief minister Yogi Adityanath on Thursday emphasised the need for collective responsibility and participation in conserving the environment. 'It is not the responsibility of the government alone but requires active involvement from all sections of society,' he said while inaugurating a national seminar-2025 organised at Indira Gandhi Pratishthan here on the occasion of the International Biodiversity Day . 'Biodiversity conservation gained international attention in 1992. PM Narendra Modi assured the world that India will achieve the goal of net-zero by 2070. But this target is not alone the responsibility of government but our collective responsibility,' the CM said. 'The development model adopted is becoming self-destructive. Don't know who gave order to cut trees of mango and jamun. If you cannot plant saplings, don't cut trees,' Yogi added. Highlighting the theme 'Harmony with Nature and Sustainable Development', he urged people to live in harmony with nature, drawing upon India's Vedic philosophy and Sanatan traditions which underscore the deep cultural reverence for the environment. Reflecting on India's self-reliant rural traditions, he recalled how villages once had barns, pasture lands, ponds and compost pits, all contributing significantly to environmental sustainability. Solid waste was turned into compost, ponds ensured hygiene, and pasture lands supported livestock, the CM said. 'However, these time-tested practices have been neglected in pursuing modernity, leading to ecological imbalance and rise of disease,' he added. Yogi warned that practices like converting ponds into drainage outlets and encroaching on pasture lands are short-sighted and self-destructive. Highlighting UP's commitment to environmental protection, the CM said the State Biodiversity Board is spearheading new campaigns. Over the past eight years, the forest department has significantly expanded the state's green cover by planting over 210 crore trees. 'Under the Namami Gange initiative, substantial progress has been made in restoring the cleanliness and uninterrupted flow of the Ganga, especially in Kanpur, once considered one of the most polluted stretches. Today, the Ganga flows clean and vibrant in that region, reflecting the success of these focused efforts,' Yogi said. He also referred to Sanatan Dharma, where flora and fauna are deeply integrated with spiritual beliefs, trees like Peepal, Banyan, and Jamun are revered, and animals. The CM also stressed the importance of traditional knowledge and local customs in biodiversity conservation. Recalling age-old practices, he mentioned how, in earlier times, even ants were not harmed but gently removed by offering flour and sugar, an example of coexistence and ecological compassion. Yogi warned that excessive mechanisation, whether in drainage systems or industrial processes, is detrimental to the environment and advocated a return to natural and indigenous methods, such as traditional water purification systems once prevalent in rural areas. He raised concerns over the declining populations of ecologically significant species like vulture. 'The vultures are not dying on their own but use of chemical by us is the reason. We have to make conservation centre for them,' he said. During the event, Yogi provided ₹10,000 incentives to individuals recognised for outstanding work in carbon credit initiatives and honoured NGO-affiliated farmers.
