KMC to cut trees likely to fall, will plant small ones

KOLKATA: With the monsoon knocking at the door, Kolkata Municipal Corporation has decided to cut down big trees inside the slum areas of the city that are susceptible to fall. The KMC will plant small trees that grow flowers in their place so that there is no dearth in oxygen. Such trees will also beautify the place .

"Majority of the big trees situated inside the slum areas in the city are lying in a dangerous condition and if any of them falls on the kaccha houses, then property of the bustee dwellers may be damaged. Chances of mortality also cannot be ruled out. So, we have decided not to take any risk. Only those trees which may cause damage will be cut," Debasish Kumar, Member Board of Administrators, in charge of Parks & Squares department of the KMC said.

The ward co- ordinators have been asked to make a survey and submit a list of such big trees in slums in their respective wards. There will be a team in each of the 16 boroughs which will cut down these trees. The necessary permission from the state Forest department will be sought.

As per predictions of the weather office, monsoon will arrive in Kerala on June 3. Usually it takes seven to ten days for the monsoon to set in Bengal after it reaches Kerala.

When the very severe cyclonic storm Yaas had hit the state last Wednesday around 20 trees were uprooted as wind speed reached the maximum of 62 km/ hour. " Squalls are frequent during monsoon so we are taking preventive measures," a senior official of the Parks & Squares department said.The official added that only those type of trees whose roots are capable of anchoring strongly to the ground and do not go up to a great height will be planted.

After Amphan, the KMC had planted nearly 40000 saplings before the end of the monsoon season.