Now, protection from trees too!

Students petition police, govt for safety
Now, protection from trees too!
Deccan Herald

An eerie calm pervades the Maharani’s College campus. After witnessing two deaths in a gap of three days, the students and staff now dread the old trees.

They want ‘protection’ from old trees. There are more than 60 old trees and half of them have been identified for pruning. A group of students under the banner of All India Students Organisation (AIDSO), submitted a memorandum to Police Commissioner Ajai Kumar Singh on Friday seeking safety of 2,600 students on the campus.

A memorandum was also submitted to Higher Education Minister D H Shankaramurthy.

Speaking to Deccan Herald, Mr Sooryaprakash Rao, in-charge Principal of Maharani’s Arts and Commerce College, said the Forest Department had identified 30 trees for pruning about two months ago. But there was no follow up action. The pruning began only after K G Veena, a I year BCom student, was killed by a falling branch on March 7, he pointed out.

Dr K C Vidya, a lecturer at the Arts College said, “The two deaths have created a scare among the students. The Forest Department officials should visit the campus at least once in six months and identify the trees which pose danger. Why do authorities react after a tragedy?”

Damodar, the contractor hired by BMP to trim the old trees in the college campus, has agreed to pay a compensation of Rs one lakh along with a matching compensation from the Forest Cell of BMP, to the family of Seena Nayak.

The pruning of trees, meanwhile, has come to a halt on the campus as BMP has stopped the work and Forests Department is yet to takeover. Nayak fell and died of head injuries on Thursday while cutting branches of old trees. The funeral was held in his native town Arasikere on Friday.

LEARNING LESSONS

The death of labourer Seena Nayak while pruning trees on the Maharani’s college campus, has woken up the Forest Cell of Bangalore Mahanagara Palike. A mechanical crane has been hired by the BMP from the Forest Department to prune trees in the City.

Mr Krishna Udpudi, BMP Tree Officer said, “The crane is completely safe for labourers to work from heights. Labourers can go up 35 feet for pruning work. Earlier the labourers used ladders which allowed them to access only up to 15-20 feet height. The work involved a lot of risk to life,” he admitted.