PANJIM: After the tragic death of teenager Aarti Gond of Betim, when a tree fell on her, the forest department apparently got to work on Monday and marked trees in the capital city which are dangerous for commuters and pedestrians.
The State government and the Corporation of City of Panjim (CCP) woke up only after the death of the Betim teenager in Panjim on Sunday. The recent construction work and laying of footpath and pavers by the roadside in Panjim, has weakened the roots of the tress making them victims of the gusty winds and torrential rains. In the recent past eight deaths have been reported due to rain related incidents.
Former CCP Mayor and councillor Uday Madkaikar recalled that when he was the mayor, he had taken a drive to prune the hanging branches from 5 am to 8 am everyday with prior intimation to the people. He said that due to Smart City works such as digging to lay sewer lines and laying of pavers had caused waterlogging around the trees making the soil soft and resulting in falling of trees in gusty winds. He said that all branches of trees posing risk to the people had to be trimmed or pruned.
Sanjay Sarmalkar of Panjim said that due to hanging branches often trees were seen leaning towards one side. He said that there is need to chop the branches so as to maintain balance of such trees. The CCP did not undertake pre-monsoon work of cutting branches of trees because it had no place to dispose the felled tree branches.
Julius Fernandes of Altinho said that most of the trees in the city were more than 100 years old. At the time of digging and laying new pavers, no attention was paid to care for trees which was now posing danger to the people. Smart City works has added to the woes. Secondly due to non-trimming, branches were absorbing rain water making it heavy and with weight and gusty winds tress were uprooting.
Prof Ketan Govekar of St Inez-Panjim said, “Though falling of trees is a normal occurrence during monsoon, Panjim is in mess. Stability of ground and roads is a problem. Trees are getting uprooted as water is seen getting accumulated in is roots making the mud marshy and slushy.”
Shaikh Faiyaz, president of Sunny Masjid, Bhatlem said that shoddy Smart City works is one of the reasons for the current situation.
Rs four lakh ex-gratia for family
PORVORIM: Chief Minister Pramod Sawant on Monday announced in the Legislative Assembly Rs four lakh ex-gratia for family of 20-year-old Aarti Gond of Betim, who died after a tree fell on her in Panjim.
Sawant further stated that he has given instructions to Deputy Collectors to survey and to take speedy decisions on dangerous trees after verifying them if opposed by the landlords and environmentalists.
Condoling the victim’s death, Sawant said that ex-gratia wil be paid from the Chief Minister’s Relief Fund. He said that this incident was an eye-opener and requested local representatives to write to the respective Deputy Collector, who will verify and take decision on urgent basis.
Calangute MLA Michael Lobo said that there was fear and apprehension in the minds of the people to leave their houses and travel on the roads, following the incident of tragic death of a girl after a tree fell on her near the municipal garden in Panjim. Due to extreme rain showers, the rise in tree falls in the State had increased and it had further escalated the worries and fear among the commuters, he said, urging the government to steps and to assure the safety of the people of the State.
Lobo pointed out that dangerous branches and trees could not be cut in villages due to objections from landlords and delay in passing orders by deputy collectors.
