Gardens were left out of survey for ailing trees

Tree that killed 41-yr-old executive in Andheri wasn't on BMC's recent list of 226 ailing trees, which only included those along streets; gets cracking on inspecting all trees

Tree that killed 41-yr-old executive in Andheri wasn't on BMC's recent list of 226 ailing trees, which only included those along streets; gets cracking on inspecting all trees

After Thursday's freak incident, in which a coconut fell from a tree in a municipal garden in Andheri on a 41-year-old professional, claiming his life, it looks like the BMC needs to draw up a new list of dangerous trees, which includes those in gardens as well.

The tree that fell on Arya has left BMC officials in a fix

Following the death of a mother and her infant after a tree collapsed in Nariman Point last month, the civic authority had carried out a survey andu00a0 found that 226 trees were on the verge of collapse.

But according to sources in the BMC's garden department, the tree that killed Ved Prakash Arya was not on the list.

Said an official, "This means that any tree can collapse. The trees listed are not the only dangerous ones. A thorough check is required at various public places."

Over a 1,000 trees have fallen since the onset of the monsoon and most vulnerable trees are in F-North (30) and L Wards (24).

Additional Municipal Commissioner Aseem Gupta said, "All the trees in the city would be inspected." He had earlier stated that the seven-member committee appointed to look into the state of trees would submit its report to the BMC.

Deputy Municipal Commissioner (Gardens) Suhas Karvande said, "The trees along streets have been surveyed, and the reason for the coconut tree collapse is yet unknown."

BMC's Standing Committee Chairman Rahul Shewale said, "May be some of the trees, though vulnerable, have not been counted in the earlier survey, which did not include gardens.

The department has begun the inspection of gardens and the committee would submit their report next week."

The BMC has now closed the garden for visitors.

But the tree was still lying fallen yesterday. The residents of the area claim the BMC is passive. "If another tree falls on someone, BMC will be responsible," said one of Arya's neighbours.

Expertspeak
Avinash Kubal, a horticulturalist who is on the committee, says that exotic varieties in the city are weak.
"They are fast-growing trees and, sometimes their structure is weak, due to which they collapse.

The coconut tree must have collapsed due to a brush of wind, or the soil must have got loose due to the rains," he said. "They require pruning, some need to be felled. We've sent the list to the department."