150-yr-old heritage tree axed in Chandigarh's Vatika School after Carmel Convent tragedy

Chandigarh, July 14

Nearly a week after the Carmel Convent School tragedy, the UT Administration today axed a 150-year-old heritage mango tree on the premises of Vatika School for Deaf and Dumb Children, Sector 19B.

On July 8, part of a 250-year-old heritage peepal tree had fallen, killing a 16-year-old girl and injuring 19 others, including 18 students. The attendant is battling for life at the PGIMER, while two schoolgirls are also undergoing treatment there.

Following the incident, a committee comprising officers from the Engineering Department, Horticulture Wing of the municipal corporation and Forest Department verified the remaining 30 heritage trees in the city for their health, strength and vulnerability to uprooting.

It found two heritage trees had outlived their lives and were heavily infested with termites. One of the trees was today axed by a team from the Horticulture Department, while the second one, a 150-year-old heritage peepal tree, standing on the premises of Government Nursery, Sector 23C, would be removed soon, said an official of the department.

In the wake of the tragedy, the administration had directed its team to go in for an extensive survey of all “dead and dried up trees” and those posing danger to human life and property.

An order issued by the UT Administration on December 21, 2017, had notified 31 trees as ‘Heritage Trees’ as there was danger of losing these due to various reasons. The need was felt to protect these and educate the community about their importance.

The committee had also recommended pruning of branches of three heritage trees, including the one at Sukhna Lake. In order to avert any untoward incident, the administration has decided to remove all dead/dried up trees that pose threat to life and property within a week.

Meanwhile, six teams had been deployed to carry out a survey of 211 schools. An official said nearly 1,634 dead and dried up trees had been cut from various places in Chandigarh during the past five years. — TNS

• 30 surveyed by panel
• 2 infested with termite, one felled; 2nd in Sec 23-C to be removed soon