Forest Department’s non-cooperation: Clearing of dangerous trees in limbo, MCC continues trimming weak branches

Mysuru: The Mysuru City Corporation (MCC) has continued its operation of clearing dried and dead trees and overhanging branches, following heavy rains in which many trees have been uprooted and branches fallen. However, it is learnt that due to lack of coordination with the Forest Department, the operation is slowing down.

If it continues to rain heavily accompanied by strong winds then more trees are definitely going to come down.

The incident of a girl from Chennai losing her life when a tree fell on the auto she was travelling near ESI Hospital  on KRS Road is etched in people’s minds.

Due to many ongoing works, the roots of many trees have been damaged thus rendering the trees weak and the clearing of dried branches have also been neglected, say the public with anxiety writ large on their faces.

For instance several branches of the huge trees on Mysuru-Nilgiri Road have dried up. Nearly six days ago, a 75-year-old tree was brought down on this road by the MCC. It had even started the operation of clearing the branches. However, since there are beehives at the end of a few branches, the work has come to a standstill.

There are nearly 13 trees in Bannimantap Layout and another ten surrounding Mini Vidhana Soudha in Nazarabad which are dead and posing danger to people’s lives as they could come down any time. Since many of these trees can be used for making furniture, the Forest Department has still not given permission to remove them, it is said.

The MCC can only clear branches but to remove the trees, it needs the permission of the Forest Department. The MCC workers were seen clearing weak branches across the city this morning.

Meanwhile, the public are venting their ire that due to lack of understanding between the MCC and the Forest Department if anything untoward happens, both will be held responsible.

This post was published on May 30, 2018 6:33 pm