The trees, specially the ancient ones, along the road, pose a threat to the motorists as well as pedestrians in Ponda.
Trees along roads not only add to the scenic beauty but also provide shade to the commuters and shelter to pedestrians. However, several trees along the road side have become a risk. The overgrown branches also pose a threat since they tend to fall on the exposed power lines. This threat increases in the monsoons due to the stormy winds which accompany the rains. Often the branches falling on the electrical lines cause short-circuits and sometimes the power-charged wires, snapped from the poles, lie unattended on the road turning into a death trap.
The trees along the road side also pose danger to vehicles as several accidents have been reported in past. Locals say the government should not wait to take a decision only after a major tragedy takes place. Why does the government, which clears the road through the Fire Department personnel, is not addressing this serious issue before the loss to property and life, a local questioned.
Recently during the pre-monsoon showers, Ponda Taluka witnessed several poles and wires damaged due to falling of tress at several places making it hard for Fire personnel and Electricity Department in restoring power.
Everyone is aware that the monsoon normally begins with storms and cyclonic winds causing damages and losses to properties. Crashing of trees and the branches leaning precariously on the overheard lines and electricity poles close to houses cause heavy losses. These results in causing traffic jams and also damages vehicles parked under the trees. Locals say that lakhs of rupees could be saved if the government takes precaution and timely action before these accidents take place.
Sources in the Electricity Department said that even though the department carries out pre-monsoon works and trims branches they suffer losses as several wires and poles are damaged due to trees crashing incidents at the road side.
Despite knowing that trees could pose problems during the monsoons, landowners often create problems and even file police complaints for trimming branches or cutting coconut tree leaves which could fall on overhead lines.
Kavlem Sarpanch Rajesh Kavlekar says that despite the roadside trees posing a danger to life and property, the owner of the said trees never allows the panchayat to cut the same. In case a Panchayat cuts the tree at its own cost there are provisions to auction such trees to recover the cost of cutting but there are always obstacles from owners, the sarpanch said.
“In case the Panchayat appeals to the Deputy Collector, who has the right to pass an order to cut dangerous trees which pose threat to public property, the owner challenges the order and the matter often gets delayed. In our Panchayat areas there are lot of such trees lying dangerously due to such problems. In such cases we cut such trees after order from Deputy Collector under Police protection,” he said.
Deputy Conservator of Forest (DCF) Ponda Sharad Kharkhanis said that his department co-operates with the public as well panchayats and government officers in granting permission and issuing NOCs to cut dangerous trees which lean on overhead wires or houses.
“Even though there is some misunderstanding among some people that forest department objects in clearing such trees, there is no case with us where we have not allowed dangerous tree to be cut. We inspect the roadside with the concerned department officials and give NOCs for cutting such trees. It is up to concerned department to cut such dangerous trees in coordination with Deputy Collector. Before the monsoons we have cleared around 114 applications filed by Panchayats and citizens in Ponda taluka,” said Kharkhanis.
According to Mahanand Naik from Ponda the owners who object or do not provide NOC to cut the trees should be held responsible for loss of life and property.
“One needs to check whether the trees create a nuisance to public. But I think the government should take a policy decision to cut such trees on its own cost as no private owner is willing to share the cost of cutting the dangerous trees. Most of these trees are in PWD road widening are and should be cut immediately so as to avoid further damage to people and property,” said Naik.
