Ranchi Municipal Corporation (RMC) has started a survey on June 12 for delineating worn out trees in Ranchi for the first time in history. Earlier also in 2016, RMC planned to undertake this survey but could not execute its plan.
In this week long survey, around 55 wards of Ranchi will be surveyed under this plan to delineate trees that are dry, dead or worn out. After the survey, RMC will seek permission from the Forest Department to eliminate the risk posing trees.
“The constant complaints which we received about an old and giant dead Semal tree standing on the opposite side of St Xavier’s College, made us to take a concrete step in this direction,” said Sanjeev Vijayvargiya, the Deputy Mayor of the Ranchi Municipal Corporation
Such trees have caused accidents in past also. Referring to an accident which took place in Kokar and claimed the life of a rickshaw driver due to the fall of a tree, Vijayvargiya said that in order to avoid such accidents in future this initiative has been taken. He further added that although the exact number of trees to be eliminated cannot be determined before the survey but it is sure that around 20 trees that pose a higher risk will definitely be eliminated.
He further added that it is the sole responsibility of Forest Department to give permission for the elimination of old and worn out trees but it is completely dependent on outer sources for the tracking of such trees. “Whenever we receive information either from Government organisation or local residents about any such trees we notify the respective department to take necessary action,” said Rl Bakshi, Divisional Forest Officer for Ranchi.
With the approaching monsoon season, such trees run a high risk of unlikely fall and inflicting damage. Frail and brittle trees especially in public spaces become a threat to public safety as they turn out to be potential accident instigators.According to city based Geologist Nitish Priyadarshi the root system of old and the young trees, which cannot penetrate deep inside the soil are vulnerable especially to strong winds.
“loose soil gets eroded due to heavy downpour making weak trees more vulnerable. These tall and old trees carry an added risk of attracting lightening,” he said.