Kalpavriksha removed in highway extension

By U Sudhakar Reddy

Despite repeated requests from environmentalists, the state forest department has failed to protect and translocate the Kalpavriskha trees, a rare and endangered species, situated along the highways. Thus from 20 such trees in the state, there are now only 13.

They have, instead been removed during highway extension and while laying the Outer Ring Road in Hyderabad. At least seven trees have been removed on the Hyderabad-Vijayawada national highway and the ORR.

Kalpavriksha — also known as known as Baobab — live from 100 to thousands of years in the state and are mostly distributed in Krishna, Nalgonda and Ranga Reddy districts.

Mr A. Ravi Kiran, a former research fellow with NRSA said, “We have requested the AP Biodiversity board of the forest department several times asking them to translocate the trees. But there was no response and ultimately they were removed without concern. There were only 20 such trees in the state and now we have lost seven.”

These trees were removed at Chillakallu, Sher Mohammed Pet in Krishna district and Hayatnagar in Ranga Reddy.

Baobab is scientifically known as Adansonia digitata. In India it is known as Kalpavriksha as it provides food, water, shelter and has medicinal values. One of the trees, aged 700-year old, situated near Golconda Fort, has a 36-square-feet hollow and can accommodate at least 12 persons.