Efforts on to get heritage status for conservation of 200-year-old banyan tree in Kushinagar

A 200-year-old banyan tree in Mahui village here is set to be recognised as a heritage tree, following an initiative by the local MLA.

The state forest department has begun the process of verifying the tree's age and preparing the necessary documentation for its inclusion in the official heritage tree list.

Hata MLA Mohan Verma said he was informed about the tree during a visit to Mahui, where villagers told him that the banyan tree is believed to be 200 to 250 years old. The tree holds cultural and religious significance for the community, which gathers under it every year for worship and devotional singing.

''Preserving endangered and ancient tree species is a key priority of our government. This banyan tree will be added to the heritage tree list,'' the MLA said.

Range Forest Officer, Hata, Amit Kumar Srivastava inspected the tree on Tuesday and said that efforts are underway to get it recognised as a heritage tree under state guidelines.

''The age of the tree will be verified by the Uttar Pradesh State Biodiversity Board,'' he said. The forest department will also take charge of the tree's conservation, he added.

Kushinagar in eastern Uttar Pradesh is famous as a tourist destination especially among Buddhist pilgrims globally.

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