The forest department officials has said that the Municipal Corporation of Dehradun needs to mark dangerous trees and submit the list to the department so that these may be axed to prevent the threat of damage to people and property.
The department is unaware of the number of such trees in the city at present because marking dangerous trees for the axe is a routine process.
On Wednesday night a large tree fell down on the main road in Vasant Vihar near a prominent school. Had the mishap occurred during the day it might have wreaked more damage as the place in question is often crowded by school children and others.
It is believed that there are such trees liable to fall in stormy weather in different localities of the town but environmental activists have repeatedly exposed the proclivity of the department to approve chopping of healthy trees labeled dangerous.
Activists have often protested against the department for ignoring the trees which pose a real threat and in stead axing the trees which are healthy and pose little danger.
Talking to The Pioneer, the Dehradun forest division sub divisional officer IA Siddiqui said that he did not know the exact number of trees marked dangerous in the city.
“Marking dangerous trees for the axe is not a one time process but a routine affair so the numbers are dynamic. We mark trees dangerous based on the applications we receive. However, the Municipal Corporation of Dehradun should mark dangerous trees and provide us the list for necessary action within municipal limits. Apart from this, institutions and departments including Public Works Department should also furnish such lists pertaining to the area under their purview to us so that necessary action can be taken on time,” said the SDO.
He stressed that human life is precious so dangerous trees are marked and allocated to the Forest Corporation to chop.