MARGAO
Post-Navelim incident when a tree fall had snuffed out the life of a lady rider, the South Goa district Disaster Management Authority has finally set up a team of officials to identify and take action against dangerous trees on the NH66 and the Ponda highway to avert similar mishaps.
That’s not all. The PWD, national highway has set in motion the process of trimming and cutting down trees dangerously leaning along the NH66 highway from Chinchinim to Cuncolim.
The moot question, however, remains unanswered “ what about the hundreds, if not thousands of trees standing tall alongside the major district roads and internal roads, falling within the jurisdiction of Municipalities and Panchayats in South Goa?
Well, this question may come to haunt the South Goa district authorities as Additional Collector, South Goa, Dipak Desai chaired a high-level meeting of the disaster management authority along with members of NGO to take a call on the dangerous trees standing tall along the National Highway.
After the meeting attended by senior officials of the PWD, Forest, officials of the Municipalities and Panchayat bodies, Additional Collector-II Dipak Desai told the media that a team comprising of officials of the Forest, Fire, Deputy Collector, Mamlatdar to verify the dangerous trees and finalise a list for their trimming and cutting. “The team will be headed by a Collectorate official to coordinate the work and take decisions on the trimming of the trees,” he said.
Desai sought to drive home the point that the team will be primarily responsible for taking stock of the position of the trees, not just before the onset of monsoons, but they will work throughout the year by conducting periodic visits.
To a question, Desai further said the process of trimming or cutting down of the 104 trees along the highway is presently underway. “The meeting reviewed the situation since the agencies had encountered practical difficulties in taking the drive against the dangerous trees to its logical conclusion due to a host of factors, including ownership issues,” he said.
Incidentally, the Additional Collector announced that funds will be made available at the disposal of the panchayat bodies and the deputy Collector to take up the exercise in the village.
Sources, however, pointed out that the district authorities should place funds with the agencies such as the Forest Department to take quick decision on trimming and pruning of the dangerous trees.
