Hanging tree falls, HP Agriculture University worker dies

Our Correspondent

Palampur, April 17

Suresh Kumar, an employee of HP Agriculture University, was killed when a hanging tree fell on his scooter on the Pathankot-Mandi highway last evening.

The police said Suresh was on his way from the university. When he reached near Banuri, a tree uprooted because of high-velocity wind and fell on him, killing Suresh on the spot.

There are dozens of hanging trees on the national highway between Maranda and the university, which are either dry or outlived their life.

Earlier too, many people travelling on the highway had a narrow escape when hanging trees fell. Last year in another accident, a youth lost his life when a hanging tree hit his bike near Banuri.

Though a number of accidents have taken place on the highway because of the tree felling, the NHAI and local administration are not concerned.

A senior officer of the NHAI blamed the state authorities and said the proposal for removing such trees had been pending with the SDM, the Municipal Corporation, and state Forest Department for long and no progress was made. He said without the permission of the committee of officers, constituted by the state government, such trees could not be axed.

Illegal hoardings installed on the highway are also resulting in accidents. Despite the repeated public pressure, no action has been taken to remove the hoardings.

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