Website Impact! MCC Chops Down Hazardous Old Tree near RTO

By
Alfie Dsouza, Team Mangalorean.
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Website Impact! MCC Chops Down Hazardous Old Tree near RTO

Mangaluru: Yes, once again Mangalorean.com has proved one more positive result after highlighting another civic issue -Talk about the power of media, especially Electronic media where we highlight the civic issues and within few hours or few days the concerned authorities who can’t bear the criticism about their negligence, quickly get into action and rectify the civic issues. In the past Mangalorean.com has highlighted various civic issues through our website, and there has been a tremendous effect with most of the problems being fixed in no time, from rectifying dilapidated roads, open drainage, non-friendly footpaths, dog menace, neglected garbage, illegal hoardings, pot holes etc. Team Mangalorean had published a report “https://www.mangalorean.com/a-tree-so-hollow-its-crash-may-soon-follow/“- and within few hours MCC Mayor Kavitha Sanil called our office and said that the tree will be cut down soon, weather permitting”.

Before…

But unfortunately it wasn’t done that time due to some other issues pending at MCC, but Team Mangalorean kept on reminding the Mayor about this tree issue, and also there was a call made about this tree by a citizen during the phone-in programme few days ago- and finally, the results have shown in. This morning, 5 July 2017 tree cutters were busy chopping down this hazardous old tree near RTO, in front of LIC building-near AB Shetty Circle- Mangaluru, which was posing danger to the lives of auto-rickshaw drivers near the auto-stand adjacent to the tree, and also to citizens visiting the RTO etc.

This decades old dilapidated tree had developed hollowness at the bottom, and chances were that anytime due to a heavy hailstorm or high blowing winds it could have come crashing down on the vehicles parked below it, specially auto-rickshaws, or maybe even pedestrians or nearby shops. The tree had developed so much hollowness on both bottom sides, that people are using it as a garbage dump. The tree was so hollow and deep, you could stuff in half of your body into it, demonstrated by one of the auto-rickshaw drivers last time when we clicked photos (See old article link for pic). When you peeped deep into the tree hollow, you could see candy wrappers, Pan parag wrappers, empty cigarette packs etc thrown into it by the people who visit the RTO or the LIC office. No more of that, Chop..chop.. the tree is chopped down now.

….After

Speaking to Team Mangalorean, Sudarshan, an auto-driver near the RTO auto-park said, ” We are relieved now from the danger of this tree falling down on us since it was old and had a hollow base. Sometimes when it blows heavily, we were very much worried, about our vehicles and so we used to quickly move our vehicles in order to avoid any damages to our vehicles or any injuries to us. We are extremely thankful to Mangalorean.com for highlighting this safety hazard issue, and also to MCC Mayor Kavitha Sanil for taking the necessary action before this tree could have tumbled down.”

In conclusion. now that one hazardous tree has been chopped down before it could do any damage to vehicles or pedestrians, there are many other big trees that are posing danger to lives. There are couple of such trees near Fr Muller Auto Rickshaw stand, and the auto-drivers had requested Team Mangalorean to highlight the issue and we did (Reference: https://www.mangalorean.com/auto-drivers-near-fr-muller-hospital-fear-that-trees-may-crash-on-them/); and also on NH 66 near Nanthoor Junction (Refer: https://www.mangalorean.com/leaning-trees-on-nh-66-near-nanthoor/)Now there is a need to review, conduct a census of trees within the city, decide how many are safe, how many are to be pruned,how many need felling. This is the responsibility of MCC. I am sure they will fail to realize until they are hauled up by a court. During road construction, trees are damaged. Once they become weak and are held loose, one small thunderstorm would make their posture changed from vertical to horizontal. Drilling of bore-wells around a city in all corners is another reason for the same thing. And regarding some of the old and weak still there in the City, it’s time that MCC takes quick action before they come crashing down on vehicles and pedestrians.


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