Kashmir University Under Fire for Trimming Century-Old Chestnut Trees

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Srinagar– The large branches of two century-old sweet chestnut trees near the History Department of the University of Kashmir have been cut down, prompting environmental activists to accuse the university administration of destroying a piece of the region’s natural heritage under the guise of pruning.

The trees, known as sweet chestnuts (Castanea sativa), are believed to have been planted during the reign of Maharaja Hari Singh, who ruled the former princely state of Jammu and Kashmir. Their removal has drawn criticism from the Jammu and Kashmir Climate Action Group, which says the trees represent a rare and endangered variety with a history stretching back about 100 years.

Dr. Raja Muzaffar Bhat, chairman of the group, said the chestnuts were introduced to Kashmir by Mohammad Rehman Affindi, a friend and Oxford University classmate of Maharaja Hari Singh.

“These are heritage trees planted during the period of Maharaja Hari Singh sahib at several places in Kashmir, including the present-day University of Kashmir,” Bhat said.

The university administration has defended its action, saying it carried out pruning because the trees posed a threat to the building housing the Economics Department.

The explanation has drawn objections on social media, where users have questioned whether the work amounted to pruning or the destruction of significant portions of the trees. Photographs and comments circulating online have added to the criticism, with users arguing that the university had removed large branches rather than carried out routine maintenance.

Bhat said the intervention by his organisation had helped prevent further cutting of chestnut trees on the campus. However, he said the damage to the two trees near the History Department had already been substantial.

“Cutting down these trees is a serious issue. With our intervention, we stopped the axing of other chestnut trees, but unfortunately, the University of Kashmir calls it ‘pruning’, even though all the huge branches of two chestnut trees near the History Department have been cut down,” he said.

The dispute has also brought renewed attention to the protection of old trees in Kashmir, where development projects and infrastructure construction have led to the removal of established green cover.

The climate action group cited an earlier incident in 2020, when around 50 similar chestnut trees were felled in the New Theed area of Harwan to make way for a power grid station.

The group said the latest incident raised questions about how public institutions protect heritage trees while undertaking construction and maintenance work on their premises.

It has appealed to the authorities to intervene personally and has specifically sought the involvement of Dr. Karan Singh, the son of Maharaja Hari Singh. The group said his father’s role in planting the trees gave the family a particular connection to their preservation.

The criticism also reached Vikramaditya Singh, a former member of the Legislative Council and grandson of Maharaja Hari Singh. Responding to a post by Bhat on Instagram, Singh expressed his anger over the cutting of the trees.

“This is unacceptable. People responsible for this should be taken to task,” he wrote.

The university’s explanation has placed the focus on a larger question: how institutions balance building maintenance and infrastructure needs with the protection of old trees that hold ecological and historical value.

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