Indore City's Only Natural Forest Under Threat, Environmentalists Demand Protection

Indore (Madhya Pradesh): Concern is mounting over the destruction of the natural forest located in Hukmchand Mill premises, one of the last remaining huge green area in Indore.

Environmentalists and local citizens have warned that continued felling of trees in the area will have dangerous consequences for the city’s ecology, health and future generation on Monday while talking with reporters.

Sandeep Khanwalkar, one of the protesters said, ‘Indore, which has grown rapidly as a commercial hub, is already facing shrinking green cover.

Studies show that the city’s greenery has dropped to just 9–10 per cent, while nearly 1.5 lakh trees were lost in the past five years due to development projects.

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IIT Indore has flagged the imbalance, stating that against a population of 36 lakh and over 34 lakh registered vehicles, Indore has only about 9 to 10 lakh trees of which just 2 lakh are fully mature.’

On the night of August 23, three fully grown trees inside Hukmchand Mill forest marked and numbered during earlier surveys were uprooted using JCB machines. Activists described the act as ‘irresponsible and ruthless,’ accusing the administration of ignoring environmental concerns in favour of commercial gain.

Experts note that the environmental imbalance is already visible: rising summer temperatures, frequent heatwaves, declining groundwater and worsening air quality.

NITI Aayog has warned of a severe water crisis in Indore by 2030, while the Central Ground Water Board has categorised the city’s water extraction as ‘critical.’ Local citizens, academicians and social leaders including Shyam Sundar Yadav, Dr OP Joshi, Dr Shankar Lal Garg, Shivaji Mohite and others gathered to demand urgent government action.

They stressed that Hukmchand Mill’s natural forest is essential for clean air, water conservation and climate balance in Indore. Environmentalists have appealed to the state government to immediately halt tree cutting in the area, take strict action against those responsible and declare Hukmchand Mill forest a protected green zone for the city’s survival.