Green move: Students labour to germinate, plant Asan tree
The Statesman | 27 July 2025
The botany department of the state-aided Banowarilal Bhalotia (BB) College under Kazi Nazrul University (KNU) has come forward to plant about 5,000 saplings of the almost extinct species, Terminalia Elliptica (Asan tree), which were once found in abundance in Asansol.
In fact, the name Asansol was derived from the forests of two trees – Asan (Terminalia Elliptica) and Sal found in abundance, centuries ago. Not only the Asan tree has high values in the field of ayurveda but was found in abundance once upon a time in the Asansol region for its water holding capacities.
Coal mining in India first started in the Raniganj Coalfield. On 11 August, 1774 a proposal for commercial extraction was put forward in a part of what now forms the Raniganj Coalfield.
With the discovery of coal below the Raniganj Coalfields area, the rapid urbanisation, railway track laying and industrialisation took place in the Asansol village region and slowly people from all parts of the country settled in and large manufacturing industries along with townships were set up one after another, cutting the forests of Asan and Sal, thus making Asansol the largest industrial zone in the country after India’s Independence.
Gurudev Rabindra Nath Tagore once visited Asansol and found the sun rising on the eastern side and named the area as Ushagram. Tagore’s grandfather Prince Dwarkanath Tagore started coal excavation in Narayankuri in Raniganj through his JV company, Carr Tagore and Company.
Today there are less than a handful of Asan trees found in Asansol and hardly any presence of Sal trees.
Professor Amiatabha Basu, principal of Banwarilal Bhalotia College said that the botany department, along with the NSS department of the college has jointly come forward to plant over 5,000 saplings of the Asan tree.
The student volunteers have started plantations throughout the sub-division to make the area once again a haven of Asan plants.
“Making germination is a hazardous job and there is one plant in the college campus in Ushagram. Our botany students procured seeds from Bankura and so far have produced 5,000 saplings,” added professor Amitabha Basu.
Dr Animesh Mondal, professor of botany, said that the germination of Asan plants was very tough and they managed to germinate about 40 per cent of the total seeds procured from the Bankura forest department.
“This is a unique project as nowhere in the world there is an instance of recreating the green cover of the region, where once the particular plants existed. However, with the passage of time, they have all disappeared. We have sought help from NGOs and several nature clubs to join hands with us in this novel and unique initiative,” he added.
Professor Sukumar De, head of NSS department, said that all the students are excited after hearing the matter and are keen to plant the saplings in their neighbourhood.
Plantation drives are taking place in this monsoon season throughout the district of Van Mahotsav by the forest department.