GHMC flooded with complaints about uprooted trees
By : Nabinder Bommala
Update: 2024-05-23 17:26 GMT
Hyderabad: Over 150 complaints related to trees being uprooted or branches falling on the ground have been reported within a week in Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC) limits after the city witnessed downpour accompanied by gusty winds.
Experts say that, if pruning of trees is done scientifically and wider footpaths are built, such incidents can be reduced. They also said that trees on pavements and the ones on road corners are weak compared to those in open spaces.
“In urban areas there is a space constraint and the soil under the roads is filled with debris, which are hampering the roots compared to the ones in open spaces. Wider footpaths in a viable solution” said V. Krishna, forest utilisation office (FUO), Telangana forest department.
Another official from the department blamed the Telangana State Southern Power Distribution Company (TSSPDCL) for the menace.
“The area covered by the crown of the tree should be equal to the area that its roots cover inside the soil. TSSPDCL officials resort to unscientific pruning of trees to keep electrical wires in good condition. This man-made error should be corrected,” he said.
A stock-taking visit to some busy stretches revealed that there are several trees in the city that are weak.
The by-lane connecting road no 1 Jubilee Hills to Indo American cancer hospital in Banjara Hills road number 12 and in Barkatpura many tree branches were completely bent.
From 10 pm on May 22 to Thursday 4 pm of the 19 complaints received by the GHMC’s directorate of directorate of enforcement vigilance & disaster management (EV&DM) 17 pertained to trees that had fallen or were uprooted trees while two were related to waterlogging.
Dr. Narasimha Reddy Donthi, who works on environment and development issues, said that as the growth of roots were being hampered due to various reasons, many trees are getting uprooted.