Social activist fights to save heritage banyan tree in Amritsar

AMRITSAR : A social activist and resident of the holy city of Amritsar is fighting a lone battle to save a nearly 200-year-old banyan tree, which could be one more possible casualty in the name of "development.

" The tree stands inside the old Central Jail complex, where the Punjab Urban Development Authority (PUDA) has now built a residential colony.The activist, Avinash Khosla, has been single-handedly writing, calling, arguing, and refusing to let the sound of axes drown the city’s conscience. The land once housed the old Central Jail, but after the facility was shifted elsewhere, PUDA converted the site into a residential colony.

The banyan tree stands on one of the auctioned plots, a massive trunk, spreading roots, and branches that rise like a living monument.Avinash said, "When the private buyer saw the tree and sought a change of plot, it was planned by authorities to cut it down instead." He said that apprehending that the tree would be chopped off, he wrote to the PUDA chief, Amritsar Municipal Corporation, and Deputy Commissioner to do the needful to save the heritage tree.

Khosla’s letters started landing on official desks — reminders that the Doctrine of Public Trust binds the govt to protect natural resources, not destroy them. He quoted High Court and Supreme Court orders that prohibit felling heritage trees. "This banyan tree isn’t just a part of the landscape; it is part of the city’s history, faith, and medicine," he said.Notably in Sanatan Dharma, the banyan — Ficus benghalensis — represents eternal life. Its roots descend to earth, symbolising continuity and rebirth. People tie sacred threads around its trunk, offering prayers for longevity and family welfare. Its bark, leaves, and aerial roots are recorded in Ayurveda as cures for ulcers, diabetes, and skin diseases. For centuries, sages meditated under it, and village councils met in its shade.When contacted, Jaigurpal, a PUDA official, said that there was "no issue" and that the matter was "not in his knowledge," before abruptly hanging up the phone.