PANAJI
A Forest Department team has thus far assessed nearly 500 trees in and around the capital city as part of the survey being conducted to enumerate "dangerous trees" but has taken no decision yet to axe any, although trimming of unstable and vulnerable branches is being simultaneously done, an official said.
"The current inclement weather is hampering the work. We are able to cover just five to six trees daily in the last few days due to the heavy rains," the official said, adding that a final report encompassing all the trees in public spaces in Panaji will take more time.
Range Forest Officer (Social Forestry), Mangaldas Devaskar, who is heading the team conducting the survey told The Goan that several hundred more trees remain to be assessed. He also said they have not yet made any decision on whether any tree needs to be cut down. The final report of all the social forestry in Panaji will take some more time, he added.
The survey of trees, many over a century old, in the capital city was launched days after a teenage girl died when she came under a tree which got uprooted along the 'Garcia de Orta' garden nearly three weeks ago, a few days after another family had a miraculous escape when a huge tree fell on their parked car at Panaji Church Square.
Experts have been blaming the increased number of tree fall incidents on the failure of the authorities to carry out scientific trimming of these trees before the monsoon sets in as required.
