Dal Lake’s ‘Char Chinar’ island gets new lease of life with tree transplant
SRINAGAR: If successful, Kashmir’s famed but deteriorating island ‘Char Chinar’ (four chinars) in the middle of the Dal Lake, will get a new lease of life after the hectic transplantation of chinar trees was done at the island.
In a first-of-its-kind activity in the country, the J&K forest department successfully transplanted two tall chinars at two corners of the island where the trees previously stood but were lost to disease, age, and nature.
Months ago, the department went for the plans of the restoration of the island also called Ropa Lank or Silver Island, by transplanting tall chinars - the state tree of Jammu & Kashmirin consultation with technical experts of the floriculture department, LCMA, and scientists of SKUAST and JKFRI, the government said in a statement.
The Char Chinar used to be a tourist hub for its serenity and the aesthetics as four gigantic chinars stood on the four corners of the small island amid the vastness of the pristine lake.
But now only one healthy mature tree existed on the spot while on the other corner stood a decaying and weak tree. The remaining two trees at the other two corners were lost to age and disease. “The decaying trees were given silvicultural /chemical treatment for development of existing root suckers into a substitute tree,” an official spokesman said. Two new tall transplants were required to be planted at the 3rd and 4th tree sites for which two large pits with 6 feet diameter and 5 feet depth were dug out in advance before the onset of winter. Infected soil was removed and good quality soil was brought from outside the Dal Lake for the purpose.
“Two candidate transplants with a height of about 25 feet and girth of 28 inches each were finally selected at the Dal Foreshore road, where they were experiencing stressful conditions. After obtaining the legal permission for their removal, the two transplants were systematically dugout along with roots and balls of earth and lifted by using a long arm hydraulic Crane,” the spokesman said.
The trees were transported to Char Chinar on a large barge pulled by a tug boat.
The unique process was started on February 19 and completed on the unique date of February 22, 2022, when the two chinars were finally planted, braving rain and snow on the day. The government requested the public in general and tourists, in particular, to be careful in visiting Char Chinar as the transplants have been secured upright with the help of guyropes and wooden stakes to withstand strong winds blowing in Dal Lake.“besides, the tourists may also explore the option of visiting a similar site called ‘Sona Lank’ near the Hazratbal foreshore road,” the spokesman said.
The post-planting operations shall continue with the active support of the floriculture department, especially the development of aesthetics.
“The transplanting of tall chinars is the first of its kind activity in the country and the department is hopeful of their survival and growth with the prayers and support of the people,” the spokesman said.