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| Toxic, non-native =
mangrove=20
shrubs being planted in large numbers |
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Experts warn the button mangrove tree =
could=20
cause severe allergies
Monday, February 09, =
2009
By M.=20
Waqar Bhatti
Karachi
The City District =
Government=20
Karachi (CDGK) is liberally planting a toxic mangrove plant, =
Conocarpus Erectus, which contains compounds that are =
hazardous to=20
health and can cause damage to the environment of the city, =
The News=20
has learnt.
Several botanists, while talking to The =
News,=20
expressed their reservation with regard to the plantation of =
these=20
button mangrove trees (as they are commonly known) on the =
main=20
arteries of the city.
They said it was an =93unwise =
decision=94=20
taken by the Parks and Horticulture Department,=20
CDGK.
However, the Executive Director Parks and =
Horticulture=20
of CDGK, Liaquat Ali Khan defended the decision to plant the =
Conocarpus Erectus, saying that it grows faster, especially =
in a=20
city like Karachi, and does not need water after four-five=20
months.
=93We are going to plant it on the main =
arteries like=20
Sharae Faisal, University road, Rashid Minhas road, Sharae =
Pakistan,=20
8000 Road and so far, it has yielded very positive =
results=94 he told=20
The News.
Liaquat Ali said the reason for choosing =
the=20
button mangrove tree was its rapid growth along with its =
ability to=20
dispel animals. Also, it would make the city greener within =
a few=20
months=92 time.
But Dr Muhammad Qaiser, Vice =
Chancellor of the=20
Federal Urdu University of Arts, Science and Technology =
(FUUAST)=20
said the mangrove tree in question is not a native plant and =
is=20
unsuitable for cities like Karachi.
=93There are =
reports that=20
it causes allergies,=94 he said, adding that no research was =
being=20
done on it in the city=92s universities.
Dr Qaiser =
said that=20
instead of bringing plants from other countries that can be =
harmful=20
to the environment, the authorities should pay attention to =
native=20
varieties and rehabilitate them.
Should be kept in =
quarantine=20
=93Plants such as the Conocarpus Erectus should have been =
kept in=20
quarantine and studied thoroughly before their =
cultivation,=94 he=20
suggested.
Citing the example of the Paper Mulberry =
tree in=20
Islamabad, Dr Qaiser said that the plant was not an =
indigenous to=20
the region, so when planted it started causing allergies. =
Now, the=20
authorities are trying to get rid of it.
The =
Chairperson of=20
Department of Botany, University of Karachi, Dr Surayya =
Khatoon,=20
said the CDGK should have consulted experts before going =
ahead with=20
the plantation. =93Even though botanists/scientists have =
drawn=20
attention towards its health hazards, the button mangrove =
tree=20
plantation is in full swing,=94 she added.
=93The =
Conocarpus=20
Erectus is known for spreading pollen in the air like Paper=20
Mulberry. There are studies which show that it can cause =
severe=20
respiratory tract diseases and allergic reactions in =
humans=94 Dr=20
Surayya pointed out.
There are several problems =
associated=20
with this specie of mangrove tree. =93It produces several =
toxic=20
compounds and has the tendency to destroy local vegetation, =
thus=20
causing environmental imbalance,=94 Dr Surayya =
explained.
Dr=20
Ajmal Khan, a senior professor and Director of Institute of=20
Sustainable Halophyte Utilisation, KU, said that the =
Conocarpus=20
Erectus has been brought in from India without being =
properly=20
studied. He cited the example of the Prosopis Juliflora =
(native to=20
the US), a shrub widely found in Sindh and Balochistan, =
whose seeds=20
were sprayed all over the region during the Ayub Khan era =
without=20
carrying out a study it. Commonly known as babool, =93this =
shrub has=20
become a nuisance as all efforts to get rid of it have =
failed=20
despite launching campaigns. The same is the case with Paper =
Mulberry,=94 he explained. Dr Khan said the focus should be =
on Neem,=20
Amaltas (Cassia Fistula) and others that are indigenous to =
the=20
country. He maintained that these non-native plants are the =
reason=20
for the elimination of so many indigenous plants. =93The =
massive=20
plantation of Eucalyptus is an example in this regard. It =
was=20
brought from Australia but proved to be a failure in =
Pakistan,=94 he=20
added.
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