62 old trees pose threat to residents, finds survey

Ramkrishan Upadhyay

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, August 16

The Chandigarh Municipal Corporation (MC) has identified 62 tress, which are dangerous and may pose threat to residents. Although the MC conducted a survey on the direction of city Mayor Davesh Moudgil, yet the authorities concerned failed to remove all such trees.

The incident of uprooting of a tree at Sector 10 has once again raised the question of the safety of the people on roads in the City Beautiful. One person died and another was injured recently when a 50-year-old tree fell on them in Sector 10 while it was raining.

“There are many trees in various sectors, which pose a threat to residents,” said Ashok Bansal, a resident of Sector 10.

Similar incident happened two years ago when a tree fell and some residents of the area had a narrow escape, but despite that the MC had learnt no lesson, he added.

The permission for cutting dangerous trees should be given immediately keeping in view threat to residents’ lives, he said.

Some studies conducted by different agencies found that termites were eating into many trees, which threatened their existence.

Most trees along V3 roads of the city are infested with termites.

Victim’s kin meet Municipal Commissioner, demand job

Members of the Garhwal Sabha and family members of 35-year-old Dinesh Singh, who had died after a tree fell on him on Thursday, met the Municipal Corporation (MC) Commissioner and demanded that the victim’s kin should get a job in the civic body on compassionate grounds.

Dinesh and his younger brother Ramesh Singh, both residents of Nayagaon, were heading to work on two-wheeler when a fully grown tree fell on them in Sector 10. Dinesh, who suffered a head injury died while his brother was seriously hurt in the incident.

Mayor visits PGI, assures all help to injured

The city Mayor, Davesh Moudgil, visited the PGI to meet Ramesh, who was injured when a tree fell on him. He assured all help to him.

The Mayor was accompanied by Heera Negi, Councillor, Municipal Corporation (MC).

Moudgil also wrote to Dr Jagat Ram, Director, PGIMER, and Deputy Director and requested them to provide Ramesh free treatment as he belonged to a poor family and was unable to bear expenses. Dr Jagat Ram assured the Mayor that the injured would be provided free treatment at the PGI.

Mayor seeks report from Chief Engineer 

Mayor asked the MC Chief Engineer on Thursday to explain the status of the list of 62 dangerous trees provided by the horticulture division. He also sought a report on how many trees were removed or would be removed. He sought information on trees, which posed a danger to residents and why these had not been removed yet.