The chocking, bleeding trees: The gory saga of Katol Road’s green companions
| Date :29-May-2019 |
Construction of bridge brought this old tree just in the middle of the road whose natural canopy people are enjoying years together. (R) Big vehicles like trucks bruise the trees injure them like this. (Pics by Vikas Vaidya)
By Vikas Vaidya:
There are three trees on Katol road just adjacent to the site where the bridge being constructed by NHAI, descends. The trees on the opposite side of MOIL must be old enough, say more than 100 years
These trees are bleeding. They are unlikely to curse the authorities as it is not their wont. Of course they are not aware that authorities are not that magnanimous and have become thick-skinned. They must have planned their demolition with due permission of civic authorities. The reason they would show the trees have become obstacles as they stood just in the middle of the road and need to be chopped. Authorities are smart enough to play such tricks where such situations are created through bad planning and one fine morning the trees would vanish. Where will the authorities redeem their sins? Where? Where? There are three trees on Katol road just adjacent to the site where the bridge being constructed by National Highway Authority of India (NHAI), descends.
These trees on the opposite side of MOIL must be old enough, say more than 100 years. They must have witnessed at least five generations while growing. They have seen people playing under their shed, growing older too. Next generation also attached to them. Commuters while going on the road might not have noticed these trees as the road was wide. Now the construction work of bridge narrowed the road and the contractor with a ‘proper’ planning succeeded in bringing them to the fore.
The construction of the bridge did not leave space so that vehicles could move without brushing against the trees. Everytime big vehicles like trucks or mini trucks pass the trees, they bruise and injure the plants. The marks of the injuries are visible on their trunks. Those sensible enough when see those marks experience tears rolling from their eyes.
Of course the ruthless authorities have nothing to do with it. According to some tree-lovers, NHAI had already applied to civic authorities seeking permission to fell them. One day they will become the things of past, people can move easily, authorities will laugh how they succeeded in their game plan. Only one good thing would be there that the tree would get freedom from getting injured, bleed and tolerate pain silently. Developments take place in other countries too, but they always care for the flaura and fauna. In a country like Japan, even to save one tree they construct a tunnel under it. We don’t need to convert Nagpur into Tokyo, even the following what Tokyo does would make a difference.