Old trees pose threat to life, property in Palampur

Ravinder Sood

Palampur, June 26

Even as the local authorities have identified over 100 old trees in different parts of Palampur town and along the Pathankot-Mandi National Highway as dangerous, no steps have been initiated to prune or axe these trees.

These trees pose a threat to people and may get uprooted in the monsoon season. A tree got uprooted on Maranda–Dehan Punnar road last week, injuring one biker and causing extensive damage to public and private property, besides snapping transmission lines resulting in a power failure in the area .

Residents of the town and adjoining areas have lodged protests time and again, but the authorities concerned have failed to do the needful. With the onset of monsoon, residents of Holta, Kapila Nursing Home, bus stand, Lohana, Kalu di Hatti, Tiny Tots School, Mission Compound, Maranda and Karan Hospital complex have been spending sleepless nights as several such trees pose a threat to them. They have also moved a petition before the Palampur SDM, Divisional Forest Officer and municipal authorities for the removal of trees, but to no avail.

Gopal Nag, Mayor, Palampur Municipal Corporation, said the MC had received several representations from the residents for the removal of dangerous trees from near their houses. The MC officials had also visited the sites for verification. Now, the MC has referred the matter to the Palampur SDM, who has the power to get trees axed. He said the matter was pending with the SDM.

Recently, Chief Secretary Parbodh Sexena had also directed all the Deputy Commissioners to start the process for the removal of the trees posing threat to life and property with immediate effect. However, neither the SDM nor MC Commissioner had followed the directions of the CS till date.

Over 100 houses were damaged last monsoon by fallen trees in the town. Besides, a number of accidents had taken place on the national highway and internal roads of Palampur because of the hanging tree branches. Last year, two occupants of a car on their way to Palampur were injured when a tree fell on the car in Mission Compound. In another accident, a young motorcyclist was killed when a tree hit him on the highway near HP Agriculture University two years ago.