New Delhi: The Delhi forest department has floated a tender for anti-termite treatment using lindane, a banned pesticide, at Central Ridge, where it is developing theme-based “special forests”.Experts have raised concerns over the move, noting that the presence of termites is a natural and healthy indicator in forest ecosystems. They warned that the use of harmful chemicals like lindane and chlorpyrifos in the soil could kill beneficial microbes and fungi, disrupt ecological balance, and pose risks to the health of animals, birds and humans.They have also warned that theme-based plantations can disturb the ecologically sensitive Central Ridge.A senior forest official said, “Termites are an important indicator of soil health and contribute to nutrient cycling in forest ecosystems. However, in newly established plantations, excessive termites can damage young saplings and affect their survival rates. Therefore, limited and need-based anti-termite treatment will be done only for initial protection of the saplings while they are vulnerable.”The official said the provision for anti-termite treatment has been adopted from the Delhi Schedule of Rates, wherein lindane is mentioned. “However, considering environmental and health concerns, lindane will not be used. Instead, chlorpyrifos may be used, that too in limited and controlled quantities, strictly for localised application during the initial stage of plantation. Further, wherever feasible, safer and eco-friendly alternatives of anti-termite treatment will be preferred to minimise ecological impact,” the official added.“There was a mistake in this tender, and another one will be issued soon after removing lindane from it,” another forest official said.The March 17 tender mentions the supply and spreading of good-quality “anti-termite (chlorpyriphos 20% EC/lindane 20% EC) free from impurities to all tree saplings (@ 5 ml per plant one time).”Ecologists said the use of anti-termite treatment is not advisable for ecological restoration of the ridge, which is the green lungs of the city. They said anti-termite treatment is recommended on campuses and in gardens, not in natural forests.A chapter on ecological impacts of termites in the book, ‘Termites and Sustainable Management’, states that tropical termites may consume up to half of the annual litter production. “During their feeding and nesting activities, termites improve soil aeration, enhance absorption and storage of water in soils, and facilitate carbon fluxes and storage. These processes are crucial for long-term soil fertility, plant growth and soil formation,” it notes.Debadityo Sinha, senior resident fellow and lead of the climate and ecosystems team at Vidhi Centre for Legal Policy, a think tank, said, termites play an important and useful role in forest ecosystems. “The Central Ridge is a reserve forest, not a building. So why does the forest department want to eliminate termites? The use of toxic chemicals like chlorpyrifos and lindane can severely impact soil health by killing fungi, insects and other living organisms. These chemicals can also leach into groundwater and, during rain, flow into water bodies, posing risks to human health,” said Sinha.Piyush Mohapatra, senior programme coordinator (chemical and health programme) at Toxics Link, an environmental NGO, said, “The registration of lindane has been stopped under the Central Insecticide Board and Registration Committee. Globally, it is banned for use as both a pesticide and in timber.”Prakriti Srivastava, a retired IFS officer and one of the petitioners challenging the amendments to Forest Conservation Act 1980 and Aravali Zoo Safari project, said chemicals like chlorpyrifos and lindane can leach into the water table, impacting the entire ecosystem and should not be used in a natural forest.Experts and activists also warned that theme-based plantations can disturb the ecologically sensitive Central Ridge while reacting to the forest department’s proposal to carry out special plantations based on zodiac, cultural or ancient traditions and develop Thirthankar Van, Ritu Van, Rashi Van and Panchvati Van in Central Ridge.“The creation of a theme-based park in Central Ridge violates the Forest Conservation Act, as non-forestry activities are not permitted. It is a forest, not a park. An effort should be made to allow regeneration of the Ridge through protection and least biotic interference, which is the best silvicultural practice,” said Srivastava.Bhavreen Kandhari, an activist, filed a complaint with the forest department on Friday against alleged illegal diversion and non-forest activities in Central Ridge and other forest divisions under “special forest or Nakshatra Van”.“The tender reflects a shift from natural forest conservation to artificial landscaping, including replacement of natural ecosystems with “theme-based” plantations, fragmentation of habitat through fencing and infrastructure, soil and hydrological disturbance due to excavation and imported earth and use of toxic chemicals harmful to biodiversity,” said Kandhari, adding that such interventions are ecologically damaging.
