by Bhavna Gupta
Isn’t prevention better than cure!! If so, why is it that we talk only about the catastrophic after effects of the tragic incidents of falling trees? Why don’t we focus on taking care of our trees while they precariously dangle above our heads waiting to topple over any time even with a slight gust of wind? It is not just the diseased or the damaged trees that need our attention but even the ones that appear to be healthy.
The question that arises is who is legally responsible when complaints about dangerously tilting trees are reported to the Authorities. They want complainants to fill up forms on the online portal after giving a handwritten request and then wait endlessly for the reply from the Authorities that remains mostly evasive. The authorities should understand that most of the time the portals are not working properly and somehow if we manage to register the complaint it starts asking for further clarifications and finally the frustrated complainant gives up in despair.
The authorities have made life difficult and very complicated for a common man. The callous attitude of departments and its officers is majorly responsible for the mishaps that eventually occur in such cases. The situation is sad but true. We can say this with our personal experiences. It makes us ponder `Whose Tree is it anyway!!`
