Change in weather; residents want MCC to cut trees

With the change in wind velocity due to rains followed by wind, especially after dusk, the petrified residents of the city are petitioning Mysuru City Corporation (MCC) with one common grievance - either cut the trees, or prune them.

There are complaints from residents who are averse to having trees in front of their houses, while some others have complained about the “littering” caused by the shedding of leaves.

On Wednesday, Doddaiah, a retired government employee submitted a memorandum at the office of senior Assistant Director of Horticulture at MCC stating that a tree in front of the house of his daughter Jayalakshmi at Lalith Mahal Nagar (formerly Alanahalli Layout) has been shedding leaves, resulting in the clogging of storm water drain, and littering of the water sump. He wants the tree to be axed, if not, at least pruned to an extent.

Another, who claimed to have already petitioned the office, reminded MCC that the tree in front of his house may turn dangerous any moment. He wanted the city corporation authorities to remove it at the earliest, as the Forest department has already given its consent.

Senior Assistant Director of Horticulture at MCC, Manikanta told Deccan Herald that on an average, 10 such complaints are received every day, especially when there is a change in weather, with rains accompanied by winds, are reported. Earlier, the number of such complaints were not more than two, he said.

The official asserted that according to Section 323 (2) of Karnataka Municipal Corporations (KMC) Act 1976, the civic body was vested with rights to cut or prune trees, only when they become weak and pose a danger to the public. In the case of live and healthy trees, the Forest Department takes a call and forward the same to the civic body for further action.

On Wednesday, a huge Gulmohar tree on the footpath of Command Area Development Authority (CADA) office on New Sayyaji Rao road was axed, as it posed the danger of uprooting, hampering traffic movement on the stretch, he said.
Earlier, a huge tree opposite Siddarthanagar Traffic Station was axed. The branch of the same tree had come crashing down, killing a person on the spot recently.

Temple mishap

Manikanta said that ever since the huge Peepal tree at Kote Bisilu Maramma Temple outside the Palace fort uprooted, killing two women on the spot last September, his office had been flooded with such complaints.

Following the incident, 200 such weak and aged trees were identified. Of them, 60 trees were completely removed, while 70 of them were pruned. The dedicated 12 teams of gardeners (having 10 to 15 gardeners in each teams) are tasked with the job of identifying such trees in their respective wards. The teams will dispatch related information to dedicated two ladder mounted vehicles, having four personnel in each vehicle. They will cut the trees or prune the branches, in keeping with public interest.

Unlike rain trees that have a solid root base, the other species of trees like Gulmohar, Copper Pod, Spathodea and Jasmine tree, have a life span of  30 years. A majority of the trees removed or pruned till date are Gulmohar, the official added.