The Speaker emphasised the urgent need to eliminate these trees due to their negative impact on the environment and public health.
Hyderabad: Speaker G. Prasad Kumar on Tuesday directed the state government to remove conocarpus trees planted under the Haritha Haram programme over the past decade, citing environmental and health concerns. The government had banned the planting of conocarpus after a few studies highlighted its adverse effects.
The Speaker emphasised the urgent need to eliminate these trees due to their negative impact on the environment and public health.
Originally introduced as part of the state's afforestation and urban beautification initiatives, conocarpus trees were planted extensively across cities, towns and residential areas. The previous BRS government reportedly planted over 2.4 crore saplings, many of which were of this species. Authorities even placed them along road dividers, contributing to their widespread presence.
However, experts and the public have raised serious concerns about Conocarpus, which belongs to the Combretaceae family and is classified as a mangrove species. Studies have shown that these trees can break through hard soil and even damage drainage pipes with their deep roots. Additionally, the pollen released by Conocarpus has been linked to respiratory problems and allergies among urban populations.
Recognising these risks, the GHMC banned conocarpus as early as 2022. Andhra Pradesh Deputy Chief Minister Pawan Kalyan previously acknowledged planting conocarpus at his farmhouse before removing them. The Andhra Pradesh government has since banned the species.
Deccan Chronicle had previously reported that several municipalities, including those in Mancherial, Bellampalli and Karimnagar, had already begun removing conocarpus trees from public spaces.
Experts warn that conocarpus monoculture poses a serious ecological risk. Assistant Professor E. Narasimha Murthy, a botanist at Satavahana University, stressed that prioritising local plant varieties over foreign species like Conocarpus would help maintain ecological balance.
