Outrage in IIOJK Over Illegal Felling of Chinar Trees and Journalist Detentions for Reporting

The arbitrary detention of journalists for exposing the illegal felling of centuries-old Chinar trees in IIOJK has sparked widespread condemnation over press freedom and environmental destruction.

Authorities in IIOJK have reportedly detained at least three journalists after they uncovered the unlawful cutting of protected Chinar trees in Islamabad district in Indian illegally occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK). The Chinar tree, a symbol of Kashmir’s cultural and ecological heritage, is safeguarded under the Jammu and Kashmir Preservation of Specified Trees Act, 1969.

Despite these protections, several of these majestic trees were felled in the Rani Bagh area, leading local journalists to report on the incident. Instead of taking action against the culprits, authorities detained the journalists for three days before releasing them with a warning, as revealed by a report from The Wire. The names of the journalists have been withheld for security reasons.

The crackdown on journalists was strongly criticized in the IIOJK legislative assembly. National Conference leader and MLA Bashir Ahmad Veeri condemned the detentions, arguing that the administration should have acted against those responsible for the environmental destruction rather than silencing the press. He urged Speaker Abdul Rahim Rather to safeguard press freedom in IIOJK.

Public outrage over the felling of Chinar trees continues to mount, with demands for a high-level probe into the matter. Veeri called on the National Green Tribunal in New Delhi to take immediate cognizance of the issue, while Peoples Democratic Party leader Iltija Mufti expressed her anger at the administration’s inaction, calling the situation “infuriating and puzzling.”

The Environmental Policy Group (EPG), a Srinagar-based civil society organization, also condemned the felling of Chinar trees, emphasizing their immense historical, cultural, and ecological significance. EPG convener Faiz Bakshi accused the authorities of blatant insensitivity toward environmental preservation, warning that this incident was not isolated. The group highlighted that over 100 Chinar trees were uprooted in recent infrastructure projects, signaling a disturbing trend.

This crisis highlights the alarming decline in IIOJK’s Chinar population. Once numbering between 42,000 and 45,000, a recent study by the Jammu and Kashmir Forest Research Institute has revealed a sharp decline, with only 28,500 Chinar trees remaining today.