SURAT: Old and non-native trees in the Diamond City are posing danger to residents. With the city witnessing extended monsoon this season, more than 200 old and non-native trees have already collapsed.
Despite several incidents of people getting injured and property and vehicles being damaged due to uprooting of trees in the rain, the civic body is yet to take action to remove and prune weak trees.
Officials of the garden department of Surat Municipal Corporation (SMC) have become sphinx-like with no reaction over conducting proper survey to ascertain the health of the trees on main roads and in residential zones.
On Thursday, residents of Parle Point woke up to a tree collapse in the morning hours amid rain. More than nine cards parked on the roadside near Sargam Shopping Centre in Parle Point were damaged.
Rajesh Patel, a resident of Parle Point, said, “The tree was very old and despite many complaints to the civic body, it was not chopped for safety of the people. The residents were lucky as the tree collapsed in the morning hours when there was nobody around.”
At present, SMC is removing dry trees and pruning branches on being notified. However, there is no system in place to regularly check the health of trees.
Dr SJ Gautam, superintendent of garden department, told TOI, said, “This year, the incident of tree collapse is very less compared to previous year. We take up pruning and trimming of branches of trees precariously leaning towards roadside during pre-monsoon drive. The city witnessed heavy rainfall and high wind speed during this monsoon. Hence, many trees, not necessarily old or weak, may have got uprooted. Development work around roads and pavements lead to roots and trunks of the trees getting damaged.”
The garden department plants around 95 per cent of non-native plants in the name of landscaping, beautification and increasing tree cover. Species like Mexican Lilac, Pila Gulmohar, African Tulip Tree, Rain Tree, Blue Gulmohar, West Indian Mahogany and African Mahogany just add to fashion and do not bring about the desired result concerning environment, also they collapse during heavy rainfall.
Despite several incidents of people getting injured and property and vehicles being damaged due to uprooting of trees in the rain, the civic body is yet to take action to remove and prune weak trees.
Officials of the garden department of Surat Municipal Corporation (SMC) have become sphinx-like with no reaction over conducting proper survey to ascertain the health of the trees on main roads and in residential zones.
On Thursday, residents of Parle Point woke up to a tree collapse in the morning hours amid rain. More than nine cards parked on the roadside near Sargam Shopping Centre in Parle Point were damaged.
Rajesh Patel, a resident of Parle Point, said, “The tree was very old and despite many complaints to the civic body, it was not chopped for safety of the people. The residents were lucky as the tree collapsed in the morning hours when there was nobody around.”
At present, SMC is removing dry trees and pruning branches on being notified. However, there is no system in place to regularly check the health of trees.
Dr SJ Gautam, superintendent of garden department, told TOI, said, “This year, the incident of tree collapse is very less compared to previous year. We take up pruning and trimming of branches of trees precariously leaning towards roadside during pre-monsoon drive. The city witnessed heavy rainfall and high wind speed during this monsoon. Hence, many trees, not necessarily old or weak, may have got uprooted. Development work around roads and pavements lead to roots and trunks of the trees getting damaged.”
The garden department plants around 95 per cent of non-native plants in the name of landscaping, beautification and increasing tree cover. Species like Mexican Lilac, Pila Gulmohar, African Tulip Tree, Rain Tree, Blue Gulmohar, West Indian Mahogany and African Mahogany just add to fashion and do not bring about the desired result concerning environment, also they collapse during heavy rainfall.
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