Trees dying in N districts

A century-old rain tree near the district Ansar-VDP office in Nilphamari died of cold burn disease. Hundreds of trees on both sides of different roads died in the winter season.. PHOTO: STAR

The trees have died from 'cold burn' caused by severe cold and days of dense fog which prevented adequate sunlight from reaching them. Inadequate sunlight obstructs photosynthesis process in trees and plants by which they produce their food and emit oxygen. Trees then gradually wither away, according to Nazrul Islam, Plant Protection Specialist of Nilphamari Agriculture Extension Department (AED).

Obstruction in the photosynthesis process also makes threes vulnerable to diseases, he said.

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This correspondent counted at least 3000 dead Shishu and other trees on both sides of Nilphamari Syedpur highway and the roads connecting upazila headquarters with the district town. Scores of trees have also died in other districts of greater Rangpur districts, according to reports gathered by this correspondent.

Scores more are withering away with their branches drying up.

"Coconut trees, nut trees, Shishu trees and raintrees are the worst victims of the situation," Nazrul said.

"Spaying Potash and Sulphur is very useful in such a situation", he added.

Md. Abdul Latif, Botany teacher at Nilphamari University College, when contacted, said different kinds of bacteria and virus develop on trees due to severer cold and fog. These create diseases in trees", he said. One such disease --Ehlorosis-- makes leaves yellow and to fall off. Once the leaves fall, trees can not suck nutrients and organic substances from sunlight and soil and their respiration is also disturbed. They then die gradually. 'Cold burn' is directly responsible for this, he said.

But both Nazrul Islam and Prof Abdul Latif said most of affected trees are of foreign origin. These trees might have also faced adaptation problem here.

"It is also important to see whether the trees now dying had been planted scientifically or not", said Prof Latif.

Weather and soil suitability is also very important. A particular area may be suitable for one variety of trees, not for some others, he said.

When contacted, forester Mahbubor Rahman at the Social Forestry Nursery and Training Centre at Nilphamari said they have no statistics on how many trees died and how many are affected.

He however claimed that Shishu trees could be dying from root-rotting disease.

He said the Ministry of Forestry and Environment has been informed of the situation but no step taken yet. The matter was also discussed at a recent meeting of the district law and order coordination committee, he said.