MP HC orders curbs on felling of Dhar’s famed Baobab trees

Madhya Pradesh high court has ordered the state government to halt the felling of Baobab trees in Dhar, following protests by tribals against their translocation by Hyderabad businessman Ramdev Rao. The court has ordered the state to ensure that "not a single Baobab tree is cut for any purpose whatsoever by any authority until further orders of this court". The district has around 1,000 Baobabs, some of which are centuries old, and are of heritage and historical value. The trees have been placed under the Biodiversity Act, meaning permission for commercial use must be taken from the state biodiversity board.

The Jabalpur bench of the Madhya Pradesh high court has directed the state government to restrict felling of Dhar’s Baobab trees, saying that their importance “cannot be understated”.

HT Image

Taking cognizance of a report, about protests by tribals against the translocation of the trees by a Hyderabad businessman Ramdev Rao, published in HT on May 12, the court ordered the state to ensure “not a single Baobab tree is cut for any purpose”.

“The importance of the Baobab trees cannot be understated. Its existence is very important to the local inhabitants. Under these circumstances, the state and its authorities are directed to ensure that not a single Baobabs tree is cut for any purpose whatsoever by any authority until further orders of this court,” a division bench chief justice Ravi Malimath and judge Vishal Mishra said on Monday.

“In case any tree has been cut and is in the process of being transported, the same shall be stopped forthwith,” the bench said.

The court order came days after the state government decided that the forest department cannot give permission to translocate the trees in the district’s Mandu city, and the same can be done only by the state biodiversity board.

Following the report in HT, which highlighted the heritage and historical value of the trees, native to Africa, but likely brought to this corner of MD by African soldiers between the 10th and 17th century, the office of chief minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan sought a detailed explanation from the tribal affairs and forest department, and a report from Dhar district administration last Friday.

The ban on translocation was imposed by placing the trees under the Biodiversity Act, which means that permission to use them commercially will have to be taken from the state biodiversity board.

The district has around 1,000 Baobabs, some of which are centuries old.

Following the court order on Monday, an officer at the high court said, “The HT report was put on record that Baobab trees situated primarily in Dhar district are being cut, sold and transported. In spite of local opposition, the transportation continued. The court asked government advocate Jhanvi Mishra to ensure strict compliance of its order.”

District officials welcomed the court’s intervention.

“Taking cognizance of the HT report, the court has imposed the ban. It is good that we have received the support of the court. Now, we will come up with permanent solution to save the trees,” Dhar district collector Priyank Mishra said.

Protests erupted in the area last week when locals stopped the Hyderabad-based firm from taking away some Baobab trees from their traditional lands.