Centuries old Chinar trees uprooted in Srinagar

Srinagar: Five Chinar trees were uprooted during a strong windstorm few days ago at the famous Shalimar Bagh in Jammu and Kashmir’s Srinagar city.

According to Floriculture Department in Kashmir, more than 300-year-old one Chinar tree while four other 50-years-old trees were uprooted following the windstorms in the area.

The department said that “men and machinery have been pressed into the service to clear the Chinar trees.

Officials from floriculture department, forest department and other departments are working round the clock so that tourists visiting the heritage garden do not face any problem”.

Tourists as well as locals are upset about the uprooting of these trees as Chinar trees are considered as heritage in Kashmir valley.

Chinar is locally called boouien or bhuni in Kashmiri- the name comes from a Sanskrit word called ‘Bhawani’ which means blissful mother.

Shalimar and Mughal gardens are famous for these trees all over the world and every year thousands of tourists visit Kashmir only to see it. (ANI)