‘Saved’ trees also getting choked along Maharajbag Rd
| Date :10-May-2019 |
This leafless, and probably lifeless, tree greets the visitors entering Maharajbag premises. It was among the trees ‘saved’ during widening of Maharajbag Road. Its present condition can be attributed to choking of base and lack of follow-up action by the authorities concerned.
Staff Reporter:
Saved are those who don’t die. This applies to the trees along what is popularly known as Maharajbag Road. When the said road from College of Agriculture to Rashtrasant Tukadoji Maharaj Nagpur University (RTMNU) Library was being widened, there was a lot of hue and cry over the number of trees that were to be felled. After furore, over 50 trees were saved. However, thanks to choking of tree bases and lack of follow-up by the authorities concerned, now some of these ‘saved’ trees have died and some are waiting for death.
And, this time, there is silence... As one enters through the Maharajbag road gate, a gory sight of a leafless -- and probably, lifeless -- tree greets a visitor. The base of this tree was choked long ago by tar. Even today, the base is choked, which must have suffocated the tree to its present condition. A glance at a new footpath just outside the parking lot of College of Agriculture reveals another gory sight -- tree base choked tightly with cement! As one moved towards RTMNU Library, one comes across some more trees that are probably dead, only waiting to be felled.
Then, there are big trees at the base of which circular space was provided for them to thrive. Sadly, with the road construction and cable-laying work, debris got dumped into these circles. At a few places, the coloured slabs marking the periphery of such circles have been removed and dumped along with debris. At some other places, even if the periphery is still well marked, debris have been dumped into it. The result? Choking of tree bases.
Though some of the trees had survived from being axed at the time of widening of Maharajbag road, they got choked when the wide road was constructed and footpaths came up around the tree bases. As if it was not enough to suffocate trees, these days, the dug-up earth has been dumped around the bases. There is a dried up tree alongside stump of a big tree that was cut off previously. Reason? Once again, choking. The sad part of the story is that this phenomenon has not been noticed either by authorities concerned or non-Government organisations roped in by the authorities, or by the visitors to the place. The trees that got ‘saved’ then, are getting choked now. Some have died too. This reflects the absence of long-term commitment of the city towards the protection of trees. Hopes rest only on the sensitive individuals and saner minds. The trees are waiting for positive action... and a reason to live.