BBMP forest wing must hire skilled staff: Tree doc

NT Correspondent

Bengaluru: The second rainfall of the year that struck Bengaluru last Saturday brought significant relief to residents enduring the challenges of a heatwave. However, the aftermath of the rain was tragic, as a woman lost her life when a tree fell on her while she was riding pillion on a twowheeler with her father in Jeevanahalli.

Raksha reportedly died from head injuries, while her father, Sakthi, sustained minor injuries. This incident has raised concerns regarding the preparedness of the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) in managing the pruning of hazardous tree branches. Moreover, the augmentation of their routine works has faced a stumbling block due to a lack of public awareness and insufficient manpower. Urban conservationist and ‘Tree Doctor’ Vijay Nishant has highlighted these urgent issues that require immediate action. “Residents should be aware of the condition of the trees located near their homes. It’s essential for them to identify dead or diseased trees so that officials can be promptly alerted for their removal,” he said.

“To facilitate this, meetings at the ward level are crucial. This will enable officials to inform residents about when to reach out for assistance. A collaborative effort in identifying these issues will thus be established,” he opined. However, Nishant emphasised that the process should not conclude with these meetings. “A shift in mindset is also necessary. Ongoing attention to these matters is required daily, rather than only showing concern for trees on a single occasion,” he argued. The BBMP should develop awareness programmes in this manner and ensure their sustainability, he remarked.

BBMP calls for citizens’ help: Nishant pointed out the lack of skilled personnel within the forest wing, which is reflected in the BBMP's appeal for citizens to identify hazardous branches that require pruning. “The budgetary allocation is done, but where are the qualified individuals?” he questioned.

Deputy Conservator of Forests (DCF) B L G Swamy has also called for citizens’ help. “Instead of seeking citizens’ assistance, they can call their Regional Forest Officer deputed to their respective zones,” he added.