Overgrown kikar trees a threat to commuters

Tribune News Service

Bathinda, September 4

The overgrown kikar trees along the road is leading to many accidents near National Fertilizers Limited (NFL) colony. Residents of Kheta Singh Basti and Harbans Nagar alleged that despite repeated intimation to the NFL authorities related to the trees growth on the road, no steps have been taken so far.

Gopal Das, a resident of Kheta Singh Basti, said, “Although this is the commonly used road to reach Sibian village and also for other residential areas, because of which it plies a great volume of traffic, but due to the lax attitude of the authoriies concerned the road nearby the NFL colony is covered by kikar trees.

But, the authorities concerned has become a mute spectator towards this issue, he added.

Kiranjot Singh, a resident of Harbans Nagar, said, “Although a number of accidents have been reported on this stretch, because nobody wants to drive the vehicle near the kikar trees and get scratches on their vehicles. Moreover, because of this traffic is affected many times.”

Besides, residents of NFL colony are also facing the same problems, he added.

Preet Singh, another resident, said, “Whenever we go to the authority concerned regarding the problem of kikar trees growth towards the road, the official always says the work of pruning the trees is underway, but the problem remains the same”.

Sanjeev Arya, Sr. Manager Public Relation, NFL, said, “We have already started the process of pruning the trees and very soon the problem will be resolved”.

On being asked about the number of complaints regarding pruning the trees by the roadside, Arya said, “We have started the pruning process because of the inconvenience to the public otherwise we wait for the monsoon to get over before starting the pruning of trees process”.