📷 Image: Wikimedia Commons / Anushka10patel
Agriculture
Madhya Pradesh cuts 150,000+ sal trees to curb beetle infestation
✍️ Firstpost
🗓 03 Nov 2026, 12:32 PM
👁 15
The state government of Madhya Pradesh has ordered the removal of over 150,000 sal trees in an effort to halt a spreading beetle outbreak.
Madhya Pradesh’s forest department has begun a large‑scale operation to fell more than 150,000 sal trees across the state. The move is aimed at containing a beetle infestation that has been damaging the sal plantations and threatening forest health.
Officials say the beetle, which targets sal timber, can rapidly decimate stands if left unchecked. By removing heavily infested trees, authorities hope to break the pest’s life cycle and protect the remaining forest cover.
The cutting programme is being carried out under strict supervision, with workers equipped to identify and extract only the affected trees. The state has pledged to monitor the area closely and explore re‑planting measures once the outbreak is under control.
Environmental groups have been informed of the plan and are being consulted on post‑removal restoration, although the immediate priority remains halting the beetle spread.
The initiative underscores the challenges Indian states face in balancing forest conservation with pest management, especially in commercially valuable species like sal.
Officials say the beetle, which targets sal timber, can rapidly decimate stands if left unchecked. By removing heavily infested trees, authorities hope to break the pest’s life cycle and protect the remaining forest cover.
The cutting programme is being carried out under strict supervision, with workers equipped to identify and extract only the affected trees. The state has pledged to monitor the area closely and explore re‑planting measures once the outbreak is under control.
Environmental groups have been informed of the plan and are being consulted on post‑removal restoration, although the immediate priority remains halting the beetle spread.
The initiative underscores the challenges Indian states face in balancing forest conservation with pest management, especially in commercially valuable species like sal.