Goemkapronn desk
CANACONA: A 46-year-old Scooter rider and resident of Gulem is seriously injured after a roadside mango tree branch came crashing down on a running scooter on NH66 road at Gulem late Tuesday evening in Canacona.
Prakash alias Maruti Velip on his scooter bearing registration no.GA10 B8758 returning back to his home in Gulem ward, is hurt and seriously injured with a broken hand, as one part of the branch fell on his shoulder, while riding the scooter, and thrown off the bike, as the scooter was caught under the tree branch.
Angry gulem locals blocked the NH66 road for over an hour in protest of authorities leaving even a national highway prone to falling roadside trees on the road, inspite of being aware of dangers.
The incident occurred at about 7 am, and the injured was shifted immediately to the CHC and considering the serious injuries was taken to SGDH-Margao.
Soon, the word spread around, a large number of people gathered at the accident site, and after realising the tree which was dangerously standing close to the highway road, was kept without attending, residents decided to block the highway. Soon, Free Services personally came and as the locals were not allowed to cut and remove the fallen tree- branch, the highway traffic continued to be disrupted for a long time.
Canacona police led by PI Harish Raut Dessai too rushed and after engaging the locals for discussion, persuaded them to allow the traffic to pass and not disrupt the highway motorists. The traffic finally resumed past 8.30 pm.
Incidentally, locals informed the said and many more trees though numbered for removal/felling, continue to stand tall dangerously, especially in the Gulem section.
‘Because of these authorities’ carelessness, people are suffering. Authorities are turning a blind eye to the dangers visibly seen and being a highway road, it is for the authorities themselves to pursue the things and not wait for locals to complain’, stated a resident when asked whether they had a complaint to any authorities in the past.’’Why, we should complain, they can’t see, the trees dangerously protruding on the highway road? Vehicles, particularly heavy vehicles, were seen literally brushing against this tree branch, which had finally fallen down on our resident’s scooter injuring him badly. These trees are numbered and we can’t see why it takes so many years to cut them’
When asked whether it was the failure of Fire Services, an Officer from Fire Services at the site informed that they had not received any order to Cut these trees and they have any pending jobs on hand. “We have to get the official orders to cut the trees and we simply cannot go and cut private trees. Otherwise, people object. We have cut several trees in Karmalghat section which were dangerous to traffic. It is for PWD to bring to our notice, and action on any such dangerous trees. It is for the Disaster Management to take initiative’,
Another fire officer said, a few days back in a meeting held by the Disaster Manager, it was decided to conduct a survey and mark the trees which pose danger on the roads, and accordingly along with other relevant authorities, a decision was taken to cut the trees.
‘People, however, demanded immediate cutting of trees on the road without waiting for someone to die, as happened in an incident a few months back in Navelim. Whatever is required to be done, authorities should immediately take action without waiting for the monsoon to hit.
Another resident informed me that it’s been 10 years since authorities have counted these trees for cutting. But they are still standing. Disaster Management fails to act and is virtually insignificant in this regard’
Another villager said that they had seen vehicles hitting this tree and even today I saw a heavy vehicle brush against this branch at about 5 o’clock, and now this branch crashed on the road. Authorities should act on war footing without waiting for any calamities.’.
The Fire Services team includes Prashant D Velip L/ FF, Ratnakar M Velip D /OP, Kunal Komarpant D/OP, Shashikant J Velip F/FF and Pratik Dessai F/FF.
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