A motorcycle rider escaped with minor injuries after an old banyan tree came crashing down on the Canacona-Agonda road near old Dhavalikar Hospital at Dumane-Canacona on Monday morning. The banyan tree also brought down a nearby mango tree.
A motorcycle rider who sustained minor injuries was shifted in an ambulance to the CHC and was provided with treatment.
The trees also damaged a portion of a house and the family blamed authorities for not removing the old tree which had endangered motorists and residents in the vicinity.
Traffic on the Agonda-Canacona road was stalled for well over two hours as fire & emergency services personnel toiled to clear both fallen trees.
As traffic on the MDR-49 road was disrupted, police later diverted traffic on the NH66 highway from Char-Rasta and Keri (internal road) and via Devabhaga Football ground road. Traffic was restored on the MDR-49 road by afternoon.
Residents blamed authorities, especially the Canacona dy collector for not acting on a complaint submitted two years ago regarding the banyan tree which was standing dangerously on the roadside and residential houses.
“After the complaint was submitted, the dy collector said that action has been initiated and that, the tree would be cut. However, nothing was done for the last two years and the tree finally came crashing down with the first monsoon showers. Who will pay up for the damages to my house now,” asked the affected resident, Anita Shirodkar.
Activists claiming several such incidents are waiting to happen and blamed authorities for failing to identify trees posing a serious threat to motorists and residents.
Social activist Shubham Komarpant said many trees are lying in a dangerous manner along the Devbhag road.
“Public transport including school buses and several vehicles ply on this road and despite identifying these trees as dangerous, authorities have taken no action and this is a matter of serious concern. Will authorities awake only after a tragedy strikes? There are instances in other parts of Canacona where trees are still lying in a dangerous manner,” said Komarpant.
